Matt Gray in buoyant mood after Suttonā€™s ā€˜best performance of the seasonā€™

Jan 1, 2023 2 min read
Matt Grayā€™s side won again (Barrington Coombs/PA)
Matt Grayā€™s side won again (Barrington Coombs/PA)

Matt Gray could not have asked for a better festive period for Sutton after a 2-1 victory over neighbours AFC Wimbledon at Gander Green Lane.

The Uā€™s capped off a fine week with three wins from as many games and now sit only three points off the League Two play-off positions after just one defeat in their last seven.

Will Randall opened the scoring in the 13th minute before Josh Davisonā€™s equaliser on the stroke of half-time.

But Omar Bugiel pounced with 20 minutes to go to end the Donsā€™ brilliant 10-game unbeaten run in the league, which started after they lost at home to Sutton in October.

ā€œIā€™m really pleased and itā€™s something I knew was possible at the start of the week,ā€ said Gray.

ā€œWe started it with three points at Crawley and ground one out on Thursday night against Gillingham and I thought we were excellent today.

ā€œWe were outstanding, especially in that first half an hour, to get that nine out of nine.

ā€œIt was definitely our best performance of the season so far. Itā€™s been so stop-start for us.

ā€œTo be sitting here now at the turn of the year on 35 points after the difficulties weā€™ve been through shows the great character weā€™ve got in the squad.

ā€œIt was frustrating we didnā€™t have the game out of sight in the first 30 minutes. We gave away a silly free-kick and it allowed them back into the game.

ā€œWe did everything right, some great football, some great movement and unfortunately we couldnā€™t capitalise with more goals in the first half.

ā€œWe defended everything well and it was a shame we couldnā€™t make it more up the other end.

ā€œBut itā€™s a brilliant three points for us and Iā€™m really pleased with the week or so weā€™ve had.ā€

Dons boss Johnnie Jackson admitted his side were unrecognisable in the first half as their impressive unbeaten streak came to a bitter end at their local rivals.

And the former Charlton boss suggested the schedule played its part after a third game in a week.

He reflected: ā€œWe werenā€™t at our best today to be honest. I thought we were poor first half. We just didnā€™t show up and for the first half hour we looked off it and a bit leggy.

ā€œWe were just a yard short I thought. We werenā€™t the team Iā€™ve seen in the previous 10 league games really and itā€™s disappointing.

ā€œItā€™s disappointing it took us that long to get going. Perhaps itā€™s the tough schedule and maybe itā€™s a game too many in the legs.

ā€œI didnā€™t recognise that first 30 minutes. We havenā€™t got the biggest of squads and thatā€™s where weā€™re at.

ā€œIā€™ve had to lean on a group of 13 or 14 players really to get us through. Perhaps that showed a little bit today.

ā€œAyoub Assal is ill and was a big miss. He went in from training yesterday because he was under the weather and worsened overnight. He wasnā€™t well enough to be involved.ā€

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