Click here to listen to Glenn’s post-match thoughts.

 

City didn’t defend well enough as a team against Sutton United according to Manager Glenn Pennyfather, who saw an interval advantage dissolve when Craig Watkins sent the visitors on their way to three Blue Square Bet South points with a personal double after the break.

 

The Clarets were unable to make leaders Woking pay for their own home defeat elsewhere despite Craig Parker putting them in front in the first half. Watkins’ brace turned the game on it’s head and, although substitute Cliff Akurang levelled again with ten minutes left, Craig Dundas’ header clinched victory straight afterwards.

 

“We weren’t on our front foot at all today,” explained Pennyfather, who combined with Assistant Ben Chenery to stage a lengthy post-match debrief with his squad on the pitch. “We were chasing things and being reactive rather that proactive, and that’s really unlike us. We’ve been excellent in that department for most of the season.”

 

“Defensively - and I don’t just mean the back four and goalkeeper, I mean as a team - we never got enough pressure on the ball, didn’t sprint into closing down and we allowed scruffy balls in behind us which they exploited with their pace. We passed it nicely at times, but didn’t do the horrible bits. I’m bitterly disappointed with the result and our performance. We were on a fantastic run, but we weren’t at the races today.”

 

Sam Corcoran recovered from illness to assume his regular place in the Clarets’ midfield, joined by Parker who was selected in the centre in a slight tactical switch, with Michael Bakare and Tosan Popo making way. Corcoran was involved in the earliest chance when he just lost out in an aerial battle with goalkeeper Kevin Scriven following left-back Aiden Palmer’s swinging, 7th-minute delivery.

 

The 17th minute saw Sutton produce two quick-fire threats when an initial shot was blocked, falling to Anthony Riviere who carved over first-time. Then an incredible, frantic scramble in front of the Chelmsford goal could only be half-cleared to Romone McCrae who side-footed through a crowd, but the attack was cleared.

 

Both sides had further chances to steal the initiative towards the middle of the period, City counter-attacking through Corcoran and David Rainford where the latter shot over from distance while a long ball over the top set pacey Sutton front man Joel Ledgister away only for Kenny Clark to race back and make a crucial intervention.

 

It had been a fairly scrappy first quarter, with few real patterns of play, but one of the moves of the match led to Chelmsford taking a 28th-minute lead. Rainford passed to Corcoran, who fed Kezie Ibe, and his lay-off was collected by Parker on his way into the box. He appeared to dwell on the chance at first, but that enabled him to compose himself and rifle into the top corner from eight yards.

 

Paul Doswell’s visitors were keen to maintain their own promotion ambitions and a slip in defence allowed Watkins to progress in from the right and he knocked the ball across to strike partner Ledgister, his left footer from ten yards finding the side netting. But a suicidal touch into his own goalmouth by an away defender was almost punished when Ibe intervened. However, his surprise meant he couldn’t control his volley.

 

Chelmsford went into the interval in front, but Glenn still let the players know he had concerns: “Even though we were 1-0 up at half time, to what turned out to be the best goal of the game from Craig Parker, I told them that this game was going to bite us on the backside if we didn’t step up the tempo and work rate. We were allowing them to work harder than us and, as a footballer, you can’t do that.”

 

Sutton clearly had frustrations too, and they took these out on the back of the net within two minutes of the restart. Simon Downer had already flicked a header at ‘keeper Stuart Searle but, moments later, Ledgister showed his pace again to sprint down the right flank with the ball. Watkins had to stretch to meet his low centre but he got his toe to the cross and buried an equaliser into the bottom corner.

 

The Clarets had Searle to thank for two subsequent, important blocks, firstly when Watkins got a sight of goal on 57 minutes and again as Ledgister got behind the home rearguard without success. But when no pressure was applied on the Sutton right they took time to place a cross into the danger zone on 67 minutes and the troublesome Watkins was again perfectly placed to head inside the far post.

 

Having scored with his right foot and his head, Watkins attempted the ‘perfect’ hat trick when his left-footed effort was smothered by Searle as United tried to put the game to bed though they still had defensive work to do. Clarets replacement Popo twice helped his team go close as he played a ball into Ibe in a threatening position where he was tackled and the young loanee’s low teaser also bobbled across the face of goal.

 

Chelmsford believed they’d built a platform for a late rally when Akurang stooped to head Palmer’s flag kick into the net from almost under the crossbar. Yet, just two minutes later, City didn’t learn from previous errors as another right-wing delivery, this time from a free kick, was nodded home by the rising Dundas.

 

Even then the hosts could have rescued a point through a combination of Ibe and Akurang at the death, with the latter bearing down on goal, though he shot wide of the far post along the ground from ten yards. The final Chelmsford attack fell to Bakare, who had most of the goal to aim at as custodian Scriven had rushed out beyond the ball. His shot was blazed over, summing up the afternoon for Glenn’s men.

 

City:

 

1 Stuart Searle

2 Justin Miller

3 Aiden Palmer

4 Adam Tann

5 Kenny Clark

6 David Rainford (C)

7 Craig Parker

8 Sam Corcoran

9 Kezie Ibe

10 Max Cornhill

11 Warren Whitely

 

12 Cliff Akurang (On for Rainford, 78)

14 Michael Bakare (On for Parker, 65)

15 Tosan Popo (On for Whitely, 56)

16 Kevin McLeod

17 Ben Nunn

 

Sutton United: Kevin Scriven, Michael Boateng, Neil Jenkins, Harry Beautyman, Simon Downer, Sam Page (C), Anthony Riviere (Leroy Griffiths, 56), Craig Watkins, Joel Ledgister (Tony Taggart, 83), Craig Dundas, Romone McCrae (Paul Telfer, 76). Unused Substitutes: Osa Obamwonyi, Wayne Shaw.

 

Bookings: Sutton: Ledgister (4, foul), Watkins (44, delaying the restart of play).

 

Referee: Richard Kendall (Luton).

 

Assistant Referees: Simon Leaf (London) and Sam Purkiss (London).

 

Attendance: 1,168.

 

City Man of the Match: Kezie Ibe.