Williams and Beautyman at the double for United at Bromley (From Sutton Guardian)

Sutton unbeaten in six as Bromley are downed at the double

8:54am Wednesday 2nd January 2013 in Football By Tony Dolbear

After the frustration of the two postponements at Gander Green Lane over Christmas, Sutton bounced back to action on New Year’s Day in impressive style.

Marvin Williams and Harry Beautyman got the goals at Hayes Lane, which saw off Bromley 2-0, and lifted United to 13th in the Blue Square South table.

Sutton started like a team desperate to be back in action after the fortnight’s inactivity.

Flu-bound Craig Dundas was restricted to a place on the substitutes’ bench but Anthony Riviere was restored to the starting line-up.

They should have been ahead inside the first five minutes as Harry Ottaway and Williams gave an early indication of the problems they would pose the home defence.

Ottaway shot just wide of the far post after beating the defence to a pass over the top, but more culpable was Beautyman, scuffing a shot badly wide from close range after Williams had done well on the right and crossed low.

Despite having the better of the game, United were unable to take advantage, and the home side began to enjoy more of the ball, although Kevin Scriven was untested in goal as Aaron Rhule sliced one shot well wide.

Michael Boateng was booked for a tackle in front of the Bromley dugout, but nine minutes before half time United were gifted the breakthrough.

Welch comfortably held a high free kick from Boateng and ran to the edge of his penalty area, but lost control of the ball as he went to clear and succeeded only in lobbing it to Ottaway.

The striker reacted quickly enough to stab it back past the stranded keeper, and although it was rolling wide of the post Williams was quick enough to get there before it ran out of play and squeeze a shot in from a tight angle.

Bromley’s defence rarely looked happy with the pace of Williams, and just before half time he came close to setting up a second, a superb run from the halfway line ending in a shot which was blocked but ran to Sam Rents, who thumped in a 30-yard shot that rattled the crossbar and fell to Williams, who again saw a shot blocked.

Less than a minute after half time, though, United did have their second when Sam Rents’ low cross from the left found Beautyman, who seemed to have turned back in to trouble but managed to swivel and shoot low and left-footed past Welch from just inside the penalty area.

Bromley should have had a goal back within five minutes as Rhule went through the middle but sliced his shot wide.

Then, after bringing Louis Theophanous on at half time, the Lillywhites also sent on Pierre Joseph-Dubois, whose goal had won the FA Cup tie at Sutton in September, and the two combined immediately as Theophanous drove in a cross from the left and Joseph-Dubois met it at the near post with a header that was deflected over.

Scriven also touched away a low Theophanous shot as Bromley looked for the goal that would set up an exciting last quarter, but United came equally close when Kavanagh drilled a low shot just wide after Williams had laid an Ottaway cross in to his path.

Leroy Griffiths then returned to the Sutton line-up on the same ground on which he had made his original debut against Cray in February 2011, but his immediate impact was not what he might have hoped as he was booked for a rash challenge in midfield.

Had Williams been able to finish another darting run with a stronger cross Griffiths would probably have had a goal to celebrate on his return as well, although Liam Harwood’s stretching interception came very close to finding the net anyway.

In the end, although Scriven had to hold on to one sweetly struck volley from Danny Waldren, Sutton ended the game in control and in good heart for Saturday’s visit to league leaders Salisbury.