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AFC Wimbledon 1-3 Sutton United

Last updated on .From the section Football comments 48

Non-league Sutton set up a glamorous FA Cup fourth-round home tie against Leeds with a thrilling replay win at 10-man League One side AFC Wimbledon.

The Dons made a perfect start when Tom Elliott rose above the away defence to nod in Dean Parrett's free-kick.

But they were left a man down for more than 75 minutes as Paul Robinson was sent off for hauling down Matt Tubbs.

Roarie Deacon's stunner levelled before late goals from Maxime Biamou and Dan Fitchett caused an upset.

The National League side will host Leeds at Gander Green Lane on Sunday, 29 January (14:00 GMT).

More than just money for Sutton

Sutton were the lowest-ranked team left in the draw for the fourth round, but knew they had to overcome their near-neighbours - 51 places above them on the league ladder - before they could even think about hosting Championship promotion chasers Leeds in a money-spinning tie.

The non-league club have reached the fourth round on two previous occasions, the last time coming in the 1988-89 season, when they memorably beat then-top flight opponents Coventry in the third round.

But the reward for beating Wimbledon was worth much more to the Greater London club than that famous win 28 years ago.

Sutton manager Paul Doswell compared winning the third-round replay to the Championship play-off final in terms of financial importance, estimating it would take their earnings from this cup run to about £500,000.

This victory was more than just money.

The jubilant celebrations from the away players and officials, plus their 300-odd travelling supporters, showed how much the victory meant.

Tom Elliott scores for Wimbledon
Leeds-born Tom Elliott put AFC Wimbledon ahead, but missed out on a tie against his home-city club

Analysis

Former Tottenham manager David Pleat on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra:

"It was an extraordinary night. We thought fitness might tell - with Wimbledon the fitter side - but the one-man advantage was the major factor.

"It was a great start for Wimbledon, scoring that early goal, then the Robinson sending-off made it difficult for them. I though Sutton played too many high long balls and lacked creativity round the sides.

"Wimbledon coped with everything until that late, late surge."

What the managers said:

Sutton manager Paul Doswell spoke of his "unadulterated joy" as The U's - 15th in the National League - set-up a home tie with Championship Leeds United.

"I'm so pleased for my chairman, our directors who are all volunteers, for the 1,000 fans here and for the players.

"Without being over-emotional about it, we have got a good chance against Leeds on our pitch. No one likes playing on it apart from us it seems. If they make seven or eight changes against us I think we will have a chance."

Dons boss Neal Ardley meanwhile pointed unsurprisingly to the dismissal of Paul Robinson after 15 minutes as the key moment, though he added he had few complaints with the result.

"You prepare for the game with 11 men but for most of it we had 10," he said. "Credit to Sutton, they kept going and got their just rewards in the end.

"But we'll never know what would have happened if it was 11 versus 11. It's a big judgement call, to say that is a cast-iron sending-off early in the game.

Party-time for Sutton!

Sutton
Sutton's Twitter account reveals how manager Paul Doswell invited his club's fans back for a late-night celebration

Line-ups

Wimbledon

Formation 4-3-3

  • 1Shea
  • 22KellyBooked at 57mins
  • 6RobinsonBooked at 15mins
  • 32Charles
  • 2Fuller
  • 8Reeves
  • 4Bulman
  • 18Parrett
  • 33Taylor Substituted forWhelpdaleat 70'minutes
  • 9Elliott Substituted forBarnettat 83'minutesBooked at 85mins
  • 10Poleon Substituted forRobertsonat 16'minutes

Substitutes

  • 11Whelpdale
  • 15Oakley
  • 23Barnett
  • 24McDonnell
  • 28Egan
  • 31Owens
  • 34Robertson

Sutton United

Formation 4-4-2

  • 1Worner
  • 2Amankwaah
  • 27Downer Substituted forHudson-Odoiat 66'minutes
  • 4Beckwith
  • 17SpenceBooked at 43mins
  • 8Gomis Substituted forMayat 66'minutes
  • 15Eastmond
  • 6CollinsBooked at 82mins
  • 21DeaconBooked at 34mins
  • 28Tubbs Substituted forFitchettat 75'minutes
  • 24Biamou

Substitutes

  • 5John
  • 7Hudson-Odoi
  • 10Fitchett
  • 12May
  • 16Bailey
  • 19Monakana
  • 29Shaw
Referee:
Chris Sarginson
Attendance:
4,768

Match Stats

Home TeamWimbledonAway TeamSutton United
Possession
Home53%
Away47%
Shots
Home5
Away11
Shots on Target
Home1
Away4
Corners
Home3
Away1
Fouls
Home10
Away11

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, AFC Wimbledon 1, Sutton United 3.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, AFC Wimbledon 1, Sutton United 3.

  3. Goal!

    Goal! AFC Wimbledon 1, Sutton United 3. Dan Fitchett (Sutton United) right footed shot from outside the box to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Maxime Biamou.

  4. Post update

    Attempt missed. Darius Charles (AFC Wimbledon) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top right corner.

  5. Goal!

    Goal! AFC Wimbledon 1, Sutton United 2. Maxime Biamou (Sutton United) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Roarie Deacon.

  6. Booking

    Tyrone Barnett (AFC Wimbledon) is shown the yellow card.

  7. Post update

    Foul by Dannie Bulman (AFC Wimbledon).

  8. Post update

    Roarie Deacon (Sutton United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  9. Substitution

    Substitution, AFC Wimbledon. Tyrone Barnett replaces Tom Elliott.

  10. Booking

    Jamie Collins (Sutton United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  11. Post update

    Tom Elliott (AFC Wimbledon) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  12. Post update

    Foul by Jamie Collins (Sutton United).

  13. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Adam May (Sutton United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

  14. Goal!

    Goal! AFC Wimbledon 1, Sutton United 1. Roarie Deacon (Sutton United) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top left corner.

  15. Substitution

    Substitution, Sutton United. Dan Fitchett replaces Matt Tubbs.

  16. Post update

    Foul by Tom Elliott (AFC Wimbledon).

  17. Post update

    Craig Eastmond (Sutton United) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  18. Post update

    Sean Kelly (AFC Wimbledon) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  19. Post update

    Foul by Roarie Deacon (Sutton United).

  20. Substitution

    Substitution, AFC Wimbledon. Chris Whelpdale replaces Lyle Taylor because of an injury.

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Comments

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48 comments

  • Comment posted by User0145760526, at 23:25 17 Jan 2017

    Sutton supporters are not anti Wimbledon. I am sure we would all like to see them back in Wimbledon where they belong.

  • Comment posted by D1710533703086, at 23:42 17 Jan 2017

    Please BBC let's have the Sutton v Leeds tie on the telly. Now that's the FA cup.

  • Comment posted by singdons, at 23:04 17 Jan 2017

    Just woken up in Singapore to see the (unfortunate) result. But if it had to be anyone, happy for Sutton. Enjoy the Leeds game and the new changing room!

  • Comment posted by alex1817, at 23:26 17 Jan 2017

    All I can say is magic of the cup!

  • Comment posted by User0072203994, at 01:22 18 Jan 2017

    as a leeds fan who watches a bit of non league i am chuffed to be playing sutton,
    although leeds are in amazing form. tie of the round.

  • Comment posted by Beavo, at 09:16 18 Jan 2017

    Oh and what a surprise, the BBC have elected to show...Man Utd for the fourth round. Not Sutton, not Lincoln, Man Utd. At home to Wigan.

    What a shock.

    Congratulations Sutton and Lincoln.

  • Comment posted by Zippos Circus, at 00:03 18 Jan 2017

    Well done Sutton. I was at Gander Green Lane in 1970 when Sutton's FA cup run came to an end against....Leeds Utd, which in those days contained the likes of Clark, Lorimer, Bremner etc! and got beat 0-6....we might have a better chance this time?

  • Comment posted by peter, at 23:34 17 Jan 2017

    Well done Sutton. I'm a Leeds boy living in Sutton, but watch Sutton at home without fail.

    Can't wait to see the game, but I can't cheer for anyone but the mighty whites!

  • Comment posted by AceModFace, at 23:23 17 Jan 2017

    Good Luck Sutton United, from a Womble supporter! Nice to see Licoln City in the next round too. Big it up for the little clubs! The irony is, that I became a Wimbledon supporter as a 9yr old, way back when we were a non-league outfit who drew against the then mighty Leeds, in the FA Cup in '75!

  • Comment posted by User0664637282, at 07:58 18 Jan 2017

    @30 mc1805 "I'm confused .. a HYS and I can't see any mention of Man Utd anywhere…”

    You’re obsessed with Man Utd. Why not comment on the teams in the article?

    Well done Sutton. The real Wimbledon have done well to work their way back up, I remember going to Plough Lane in the 70s when my dad refereed them, always a tough team.

  • Comment posted by groundhogphil, at 07:42 18 Jan 2017

    I also remember when Sutton played Leeds in 1970. They had to beat my team, Hillingdon Borough, in the 3rd round. Watched the first match from a friend's flat overlooking the Leas stadium as it was a sellout. Not great as we could only see half the pitch! Lost the replay 4-1. Better luck next time against mighty Leeds.

  • Comment posted by The Old Trafford Career Derailment Scheme, at 23:09 17 Jan 2017

    I remember Sutton doing one over Cov City in the FA Cup all those years ago. Look where Cov are now! Well done Sutton, another scalp for your trophy cabinet

  • Comment posted by Raedwulf, at 12:17 18 Jan 2017

    @47: What a miserable curmudgeon you are, sir! By your logic, presumably we should only allow the top 8 teams in the Prem to enter the FA Cup on the grounds that every other club is "a Mickey Mouse Club... with no chance of winning it"!!

    Wimbledon supporter are you?

  • Comment posted by socalsoccerfan, at 05:07 18 Jan 2017

    Great archive post earlier:). My dad Ted Powell lead Sutton out as captain. He often talked about that great day. Crewe legend Dario Gradi comes out second.. The Sutton team was their best team ever and the Leeds team was arguably the best in Europe at the time and their best ever XI.
    The rematch will be a closer and fun affair. Good luck to all and long live great FA Cup ties.

  • Comment posted by nogoonjump, at 09:16 18 Jan 2017

    Good luck to Sutton. As a Leeds fan I'm quite nervous. The whites have been a revelation this season and playing great attractive football that would grace the PL. It wasn't that long ago they weren't far from a pub team with some of the heartless performances they put in. Gary Monk has brought fresh hope of a return to former glory - hope Sutton don't spoil the party. MOT

  • Comment posted by Zippos Circus, at 00:10 18 Jan 2017

    ps
    ref my post at 14

    I was there
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoIvT7QzGdE

  • Comment posted by Sirrantsalot, at 23:35 17 Jan 2017

    1 shot on target? Even for 10 men that's very poor from Wimbledon. Well done Sutton though.

  • Comment posted by Not Now John, at 05:37 18 Jan 2017

    Great result, well done Sutton Utd. Some chance of causing a bigger upset v LUFC as promotion must be their main target so some of the key players may be rested. Not my idea of treating the cup with the respect it deserves, but with so much £ at stake now for PL status it's inevitable I'm afraid. Even the PL clubs do it.
    1 of the ties of the round, hopefully the BBC will get to show it live.

  • Comment posted by 3robert3, at 05:09 18 Jan 2017

    Always good to see the under dog win

  • Comment posted by womble, at 23:18 17 Jan 2017

    good luck Sutton.

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