Sutton Valence turned on the style this week with Duncan Hat-Trick-Hero Wills putting his name in lights and Gravesham leaving wondering whether it might have been cheaper to stay at home

The tone was set early on when Duncan powered in a short corner with the sort of bottom corner finish you normally see on Sky Sports replays. Barely had the celebrations settled when he struck again this time deflecting the ball into the air and bouncing it cheeky over the keeper a goal described by onlookers as “equal parts skill and accident but will take it”.

Alex Hodges then decided to take matters into his own hands. After a lung busting run down the right he clattered the ball past the keeper with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. 3-0 to SV at the break.

Unfortunately not all the action in the first half was positive. Just before halftime a lifted ball from a grave player struck Nick Hall forcing him off with a nasty head injury and an unwanted trip to hospital which saw him finally returned home at 4 am the following morning.

The second half saw Gravesham improve but it was not enough to stop Duncan completing his Hat-trick. Another deflection, another airborne ball and there was Wills again to tidy up clinical opportunistic and probably already rehearsing his goal celebration for the pub. Gravesham did get one back with a neat short corner routine But by then the game was largely out of reach.

The drama was not over. Rod Harcourt took a whack to the eye resulting in another stoppage and a fair bit of claret on display disguised by the team shirts. Step forward James Wilmott freshly back off the boat, on dry land and eager to use his first aid know how. Rod was patched up enough to get him back into the action for the final three minutes.

All in all it was a strong team performance slick midfield play tireless running and a defence that never panicked under pressure. Sutton march on with growing confidence a Hat-trick hero and most importantly, plenty of stories for the bar afterwards.

Special mentions

Jonah Harcourt for his debut for the 3s

Alex Hodges, Alex Sandberg,Alex Stanford, Alastair Robinson and Rod Harcourt must have taken Duracell sponsorships because of the amount of running, gliding around with clever movement and crisp passing

At the back, James Wilmott Oli Sheldon and Stuart Edmed were rocks channelling there in our walls to keep Graham frustrated

MVP Duncan Wills

Goals: Duncan Wills
Alex Hodges

Report By: Duncan Wills

Team:
David Turner
Alex Hodges
Olly Sheldon
Nick Hall
James Willmott
Stuart Edmed
Alex Stanford
Alex Sandburg
Aliastair Robinson
Duncan Wills
Rod Harcourt
Jonah Harcourt

Next Match: Sittingbourne M4 (A) 15:00