HENGROVE HIGH FIVE AS GROVE WIN CUP TIE

The first chance of the game fell to Sutton striker Chris Pile but his volley rolled just wide on six minutes. There then followed a burst of three goals in six minutes that saw Hengrove take a 2-1 lead. First up, Pete Sheppard's inswinging corner was met at the far post by Mickey Parsons with a downward header into the net. The lead lasted only two minutes though as an error at the back allowed Pile to run through and fire a shot past keeper Ben Britton. With twenty minutes on the clock, Grove regained the lead however when Sheppard's ball over the top was met on the run by Rohan Hartrey who tucked home nicely.

Dylan Powell almost made it 3-1 shortly after but saw his shot cleared off the line superbly & the best of the first half chances from then till half time fell to the visitors with Pile shooting wide and Britton proving up to the challenge by saving from Sutton's Sam Hughes & Ashley Robinson.

After the break, the hosts extended their lead and it was a well deserved goal from chief assistor Pete Sheppard who turned the ball in at the back stick from a right wing cross. Regan Sollars hit the crossbar from a Drew Thomas free kick but chances slowed down and it was eighty minutes before another goal was scored. This time, sub Oscar Sullivan drove the ball home firm and low through a crowd of players to wrap the game up. Another sub, Sonny Parker notched the goal of the game when he cheekily chipped the Sutton keeper in stoppage time.

Sutton grabbed a very late consolation through a second for Pile but it was too little, too late and it will be Jamie Hillman's side that entertains Shepton Mallet in the next round in late October on a date to be confirmed.