Magpies back on song to sink Us (23.09.03)

A DAZZLING display of slick passing football buried Sutton within 16 minutes of the kick-off at York Road on Tuesday night, as the Magpies continued to gel into a lean, mean footballing machine.
In a devastating opening spell, the home side could easily have notched four goals, as the combined talents of Phil Gray, Lawrence Yaku, Mark Boyce and Brendon Gallen tore chunks out of Sutton's bewildered back line.
The onslaught began after just five minutes, when Gallen burst out of defence and lifted a beautifully weighted cross to Gray.
The former Northern Ireland international applied the daintiest of touches to send a glancing header behind the defence, forcing Andy Iga to make a desperate last-ditch clearance, as Yaku closed in for the kill.
Less than a minute later, Yaku produced a delicate touch of his own to set-up Steve Sanders, who rifled shot flew inches over the bar with Iga beaten.
The keeper regained his composure to snatch centre-back Andy Jennings' crisp volley out of the air a few seconds later, but had to rely on the linesman to save him on 12 minutes, when Yaku netted following a sublime move down the right, only to have the goal ruled out for offside.
The pressure continued to mount on the Sutton defence, which finally capitulated on 14 minutes, when Gray held the ball up on the edge of the box before sliding it into Boyce's path.
The pacey midfielder scorched into the box and slid the ball under the onrushing keeper, with the defence flapping in his wake.
Two minutes later it was all over, following a superb but simple attack down the left.
Once again, man of the match Gallen was the instigator, as he beat two defenders to reach the by-line, before whipping an inch perfect cross to Gray, who made no mistake with a bullet of a header from just six yards out.
Sutton's shell-shocked and forlorn-looking defence were then given a rest, as the Magpies sat back to consider their options.
Unfortunately, the decision was to take it easy for the remaining 70 minutes, allowing Sutton far more possession than the quality of their play deserved.
United did launch one last attack in the dying seconds of the half, when Gallen came within a hair’s breadth of extending the lead with a superb downward header from a Ryan Ashe corner.
Unfortunately, Iga was up to the challenge on this occasion and somehow beat the ball away.
The Magpies' casual approach continued after the break, with most of the action taking place in midfield, as Sutton desperately sought a way back.
However, Gallen's ability in attack was matched by his talent in defence, where he, Brian Connor, Jennings and Sanders formed an almost water-tight barrier in front of goal.
In fact, with Ashe and Kelvin McIntosh forging a solid midfield partnership in front of the back four, keeper Nick Hart was a virtual spectator for the majority of the match.
Danny Bolt did manage to skim the crossbar with a flashing drive from the edge of the box on 61 minutes, but that was as close as Sutton came, as United cruised to a very comfortable win with plenty to spare.

Maidenhead United: Hart, Sanders, Connor, Ashe, Jennings, Gallen, Boyce, Gray, Yaku, McIntosh, Farley. Subs: Dreyer, Paxton, Durrant, Currie (for Gray, 80), Wilson.
Sutton United: Iga, Hamlin, Akuamoah, Palmer, Gonsales, Bailey, Bolt, Honey, Gray, Watson, Fletcher. Subs: Collins (for Fletcher, 70), Gorman (for Bolt, 62), Williams.