Gander Green Lane :: Sutton United

 

Date: 17^th November 2012

Venue: Gander Green Lane

Full Time: Sutton United 0-2 Bath City

Competition: Blue Square Bet South

Attendance: 512

My Matchday: 18

SUFC Scorer(s): N/A

BCFC Scorer(s): Preece (24), Morgan (89)

Bath City boosted their form with a terrific defensive display at a very cold and dull Gander Green Lane. It was a ground I was looking forward to visiting because of how basic it was, yet typical non-league. The coach was set to leave Twerton Park at 0945 that day so I had time to wake up at 0800, got dressed, showered and had some breakfast before walking down to Twerton Park at 0915, I stopped and picked up a paper from the local newsagents and arrived at the ground at 0930. I was pleased to hear of the 35 people booked on the coach meaning we’d have a nice full coach meaning more money saved by the supporters club and that we’d have a good away atmosphere. We had done the same trip last week apart from this time we would come off the M25 at the next junction. The coach arrived at 0945, with the fans already on from Radstock and the Sizzler, we then picked up Bas at Filos and went on to collect that last 4 at Chippenham. We were doing fairly well for time and made a nice 30 minute stop at, you guessed it! Reading services. I had a quick look around the ridiculously overpriced WHSmiths and decided to go into Marks and Spencers that was in there. I picked myself up some sea salt crisps for 99p and got back on the coach. The onward journey was fairly easy going and we arrived at Gander Green Lane at 1300. 

Entrance to Gander Green from the main road

Most of our fans ventured out for a local pint, knowing I wouldn’t be served and would rather go in the ground and have a drink in the clubhouse I did that. I walked around what we could of the ground and looked at the adjacent train station. I then bought a poor programme for £2.50, probably one of the worst in the league. I then made my way into the clubhouse and had a look around for 10 minutes. After an hour of walking around and talking to Sean and Bas, the gates finally opened and I paid my very decent £6 to get in. I had a walk around the ground as it was literally round (you’ll find out later), and had a quick look in the club shop from the outside but I didn’t want to waste my money on anything. I then decided to get myself some lunch so opted for a portion of nice chips and a sausage roll costing £2.50.

Near end terracing

As always I’ll post my report from the club website as I’m not the best at reporting on the games but, we stood on the near end for the first half in which we saw Mark Preece’s close range header and enjoyed the company of Ashley and Cheryl as well as Mike Yorke’s ever negative comments. The Second half we moved to the small terrace stand opposite the main stand and made a lot of noise, especially when Kerry Morgan tucked away the second. 

Open Terracing far from the pitch

GANDER GREEN LANE is a very basic and dull Blue Square South Football ground. It shows of the clubs traditional yellow and brown strip which is reflected in the painting. You can enter through one set of turnstyles from the main road and a set from the council estate side. I opted for the main road.  As you enter to your left is the covered terracing behind the goal. This is where most of the standing fans move to when they are shooting towards that end. This end is quite far from the pitch due to the ground being an old racing track of some sort. The opposite end to this is uncovered and possible the worse view, being at least 8 meters from the pitch, nobody really stood here whilst the match was ongoing. The main stand is a very nice addition to the ground; it can hold around 400 people and gives a very good view from any seat. Opposite to this is the nice covered terrace that pretty much runs all the way across the the touchline. This is still a good 3 meters from the ground but gave the best viewing from standing. All in all Gander Green Lane is a tidy ground but offers poor viewing from the distance from the pitch. 

Main Stand

Far Side Terracing

After the game had finish it was a quick return to the coach as by now it was freezing cold and I really wanted a drink from my bag that was on the coach. We managed to get back into Bath by 8pm, to end a very good day.

The Report taken from BathCityFC.com“Sutton began the game on the attack, but City succeeded in carving out the first opening after three minutes. Aaron Brown delivered a free kick into the penalty area, which was nodded over the crossbar by Preece. It was the home team, however, who were showing the greater intent going forward, with Sam Rents and Stefan Payne providing the width that was stretching the City rearguard. Harry Ottaway headed wide of the target on 6 minutes following good work down the right by Payne and Gareth Gwillim and, four minutes later, Craig Watkins had the ball in the City net only for the assistant’s offside flag to deny him. Rents cut in from the left flank in the 10th minute, but his angled shot was deflected over the bar for a corner off a City defender. As the home pressure continued, Watkins blazed wastefully over Jason Mellor’s crossbar from a useful position. Bath were being reduced to raids into home territory, and Josh Low provided some respite for his defenders with his elusive running down the right flank. It was somewhat against the run of play, therefore, that the visitors took the lead on 25 minutes. Brown’s deep free kick from the right was expertly nodded back across goal by Charlie Griffin, and Preece profited by heading home from inside the 6-yard box, the ball rising into the roof of the net via keeper Kevin Scriven’s fingertips. The game continued much in the same fashion, with Sutton responding well to their setback. They were largely kept at bay by a resolute City defensive line, and when the ball was crossed into the danger area, Mellor dealt competently with any threat. Consequently, United found clear-cut chances hard to come by and it was not until nine minutes before the break that they produced another shot at goal. In the event, Harry Beautyman’s rising drive from the edge of the box flew comfortably over Mellor’s bar. The final chance of the half came in the 43rd minute when a free kick was played into the City area. The ball bobbled around in the heart of the visitors’ defence momentarily, which afforded Ottaway the time to back heel goalwards, only for Mellor to save without undue difficulty beneath his crossbar.
The second period commenced largely in the same vein, with City being pinned in their own half for prolonged periods in the face of some concerted attacking by the home team. Craig Dundas’ shot from 25 yards rose just over the crossbar on 51 minutes and, on the hour mark, the same player caused problems on the left flank before crossing into the box, but Watkins sliced the ball wide of the near post from 6 yards. Despite their dominance of possession, aided to a certain degree by City’s inability to retain the ball, the hosts were still unable to seriously threaten Mellor’s goal. Kyle Vassell fired wide from 18 yards on 77 minutes, and Ottaway’s cheeky back header looped wide of the post with Mellor back peddling. Joe Burnell replaced Griffin as Lee Howells attempted to shore up the midfield areas, but the substitute lasted only eight minutes before being forced from the field of play, prompting the return of Marc Canham. Sean Canham, who was having a quiet game, was also withdrawn, heralding the introduction of Morgan. The diminutive wideman almost had an immediate impact when he charged down Scriven’s attempted clearance, the gloveman being relieved to see the ball fly wide of his post. Sutton should have been on level terms in the 83rd minute when two players closed in on a cross from the right, the home faithful groaning in disbelief when Simon Downer somehow slid the ball wide from inside the 6-yard box. On 84 minutes, a low shot was driven towards goal through a sea of legs, and Mellor did extremely well to smother the ball with numerous home players eagerly waiting to pounce. United began to run out of ideas with their attacks becoming increasingly desperate, and City suddenly found some forward momentum. With four minutes left on the clock, Noah Keats cut inside from the left but his shot was well wide of the far post. However, the points were secured two minutes later when City were awarded a free kick on the halfway line. Marc Canham took the kick quickly and cleverly found Chris Allen, who showed great awareness in picking out Morgan with his neat pass. The substitute found himself unmarked on the edge of the box, and calmly side-footed the ball into the corner of the net with a precise finish beyond Scriven’s dive.