Osadebe strike sends Sutton into the first round as Agutter hails a decent day
Sunday 18 October 2026 · By Jon Haverstock
Emmanuel Osadebe’s first-half strike was enough to send Sutton United into the FA Cup first round on Saturday, as Chris Agutter’s side beat Truro City 1–0 at Gander Green Lane.
Osadebe struck from 20 yards in the 32nd minute, and his shot went in off the post, according to the club’s report. Truro were relegated from the Enterprise National League last season, and Sutton goalkeeper Spike Brits made late saves to protect the lead and was named man of the match. The crowd was 1,154, including 106 visiting supporters.
There was also good news on the fitness front. Jordan Moore-Taylor returned from injury, giving Agutter another option at the back.
Agutter summed it up as “a decent day at the office” on the club website, and used the moment to reflect on Sutton’s season so far. “We’ve started like a train, dropped off, find ourselves within touching distance of the play-offs,” he said.
He also offered a reminder that early form can be misleading. “I’ve seen loads of teams in July, August, September that look like Barcelona,” he said.
The win was Sutton’s second at home in a week. On Tuesday 13 October they beat West Bromwich Albion under-21s 3–2 in the National League Cup, so they head into the next round of league games with momentum rebuilt.
That matters, because the league table is tight. The BBC table, unchanged since 10 October, has Sutton 13th on 18 points from 13 games, with five wins, three draws and five defeats. They are level on points with Aldershot Town, and five points behind AFC Fylde in seventh, the final play-off place, which supports Agutter’s view that the top seven is within touching distance.
Their last league game was a 2–0 home defeat by leaders Boreham Wood on 9 October. Before that match, Agutter had suggested Wood had not really been tested this season, and Wood chairman Danny Hunter responded in his programme notes. Sutton’s cup form gives Agutter a more positive talking point.
Sutton will be ball number 66 in Monday’s first-round draw, which is live on TNT Sports from 6.30pm BST, with the draw itself expected at about 6.35pm. League One and League Two clubs enter at this stage, and ties will be played around the weekend of 7 November. Fourth qualifying round winners also receive £9,375 in prize money.
The league resumes with a lunchtime trip to second-placed Harrogate Town on Saturday 24 October, with a 12.30pm BST kick-off. Harrogate have an FA Cup replay against Bury on Tuesday night, so Sutton could face opponents who have played twice in four days.
Sutton then host Aldershot Town on Wednesday 28 October at 7.45pm, before travelling to Worthing on Saturday 31 October at 3pm. Both of those times are GMT, as the clocks go back on Sunday 25 October.
Agutter wants his side judged on the long run rather than on bright starts, and two wins in a week give them a platform for a busy spell.
Gander Green Lane — officially the VBS Community Stadium — has been Sutton United’s home since 1912. It is a compact, traditional ground of about 5,000, with one seated stand and covered terracing on the other three sides. For visiting supporters it is an easy afternoon if you plan the last few hundred yards, because the club car park is permit-only on matchdays and away entry is not through the main Gander Green Lane gates.
The pitch runs roughly east–west. Behind the western goal is the Gander Green Lane End, still marked by the curved open corners left from the old athletics track. Behind the eastern goal is the Collingwood Road End, the usual away allocation: a mix of covered terrace and seating closer to the Grandstand. Opposite the railway and recreation ground is the Rec Terrace, a covered stand set a little back from the touchline with a camera box on the roof. The Grandstand on the south side, opened in 1951, is the only all-seater, off-centre, with pillars along the front and the dugouts in front of it. The small Tardis Terrace sits between that stand and the Collingwood end and can be switched between home and away depending on the crowd.
West Sutton station is the simplest arrival. Come out, turn right along Gander Green Lane, pass the main entrance, then after about seventy yards turn right into Collingwood Recreation Ground for away turnstiles 5–8. Sutton station is twenty minutes on foot via the High Street if you are on the Victoria or London Bridge lines. Drivers should use Gibson Road municipal car park (SM1 2RF), about a fifteen-minute walk that brings you in at the Collingwood end. Do not count on street parking on Gander Green Lane itself.
Turnstiles typically open around ninety minutes before kick-off. Buy in advance where you can; on-the-day sales at the away ticket office are often card-only and can carry a small surcharge. The ground is frequently cashless. There is an away fanzone behind the Collingwood stand with food and a bar from early afternoon — vegan and vegetarian options are usually listed. Wheelchair spaces for away fans are limited and need booking through the club. Bags may be searched and turnstiles can close at half-time, so treat re-entry as uncertain if you leave during play.
Views from the Collingwood end are close to the pitch after the old track was removed. The Grandstand is the best elevated sightline if you are given seats, though pillars can interrupt a few rows. The Rec side feels more open and further back. Capacity figures wander between sources; treat around 5,000 as the working number rather than older, larger totals. Check your own club’s notes for the fixture, because segregation and which part of the Tardis or Parkside is used can change from match to match.
Pubs around the ground are limited for travelling groups; many fans drink in Sutton town centre near the main station and walk or hop one stop. The club shop and tea bars serve home areas, so use the away concourse once you are through the turnstiles. It is a friendly, old-fashioned ground with a proper non-league shape even after League years and a new hybrid pitch. Arrive early, use West Sutton or Gibson Road, and you will be behind the eastern goal with a clear view of both nets.