National cups are something special for many teams and supporters. Today's match will decide whether it's Sutton United or Stevenage that keep their silverware dream alive.
The hosts Sutton United saw competitive action as recent as three days ago, playing in the League Two. This match was also played here at The Knights Community Stadium. With two consecutive home games the intense schedule is somewhat softened. Still, Stevenage have had more rest.
One slightly interesting match fact is that this game is played on artifical turf and that the visiting Stevenage have a different surface at their stadium (grass). The impact of this is hard to measure exactly, but the visitors stats on artifical turf is 0-0-1 (win-draw-loss) from one match.
Sutton United form and stats
Action has already taken place for Sutton United in EFL Trophy as they have defeated AFC Wimbledon, Crystal Palace U21 and Portsmouth to reach the 2nd Round.The home supporters can't complain about results here at The Knights Community Stadium as Sutton United have scored 16 goals to get 18 points from 9 games. The overall stats in the League Two are 6-0-3 (wins-draws-losses). 3W-0D-0L is the hard facts regardless of venue in the EFL Trophy for Sutton United. Hopes of three in a row are alive for Sutton after consecutive victories at their own ground.
The Sutton United goalkeeper Bradley House is looking to record 90 more "clean sheet" minutes as his team have now played 180 minutes without conceding a goal in the League Two.
Sutton United's previous game was a League Two match also played at home, ending 1-0 versus Barrow. The home side are looking to build on that result. Dean Bouzanis, who guards the goal, was given a match rating of 7.5 out of 10 in that game. Bouzanis stopped the opponent with three saves and topped it up with a clean sheet.
Ahead of that match, Sutton won a home game hosting Mansfield Town (2-0).There's a new game coming up fairly quickly for Sutton as they are travelling to their away game against Bristol Rovers in the FA Cup. That match is four days after this one.
Sutton United have proved capable of finding the net in their games here at The Knights Community Stadium with 16 goals in 9 league matches. Sutton have conceded 9 in these home matches.
Stevenage form and stats
The traveling awayteam has defeated Oxford United, Cambridge United and Tottenham U21 in order to reach 2nd round of EFL Trophy. Stevenage's mission in EFL Trophy last season failed in the group stage.There's been little loot from Stevenage's travels as they have only collected 5 points from 9 away games in the League Two. Stevenage only have 1 win to counter their 6 defeats and 2 draws. Total EFL Trophy statistics for Stevenage: 2 wins, 0 draws and 1 loss.
Stevenage has to pack their bags again for the second away game in a row. Last time they traveled to Rochdale for a League Two game that ended a draw (2-2). Adam Smith had red hot gloves after the game against Rochdale, shaping the outcome of the game with seven saves made. Elliott List, attacking player, was the top performer on the team in that game, scoring a match rating of 8.52. List scored two goals and dribled past the opponent 2 of 2 times.
Prior to that match, a home win 1-0 against Colchester United in the League Two.The schedule is very tough for Stevenage now as they have to travel again shortly after this match. A FA Cup game at Yeovil Town is waiting in only four days.
The attacking power of Stevenage when travelling is not overwhelming with 6 goals scored from 9 league matches away. The Stevenage manager R. O'Keefe has some worries about the defense as 20 goals have been conceded in these travels.
Head 2 Head
Top Goalscorers
  E. List 8 goals |  D. Ajiboye 4 goals |  I. Olaofe 4 goals |
Sutton United missing players
Stevenage missing players
| Sutton United | Stevenage | ||||||
| Total | Home | Statistics | Stat | Away | Total | ||
| 25 | 12 | Played | P | 11 | 25 | ||
| 15 | 9 | Won | W | 2 | 7 | ||
| 2 | 0 | Drew | D | 3 | 9 | ||
| 8 | 3 | Lost | L | 6 | 9 | ||
| 39 | 22 | Scored | S | 10 | 29 | ||
| 26 | 10 | Conceded | C | 23 | 42 | ||
| 96% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 91% | 92% | ||
| 68% | 67% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 82% | 76% | ||
| 48% | 58% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 73% | 60% | ||
| 24% | 17% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 36% | 36% | ||
| 16% | 8% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 18% | 12% | ||
| 44% | 42% | BTTS | BTTS | 45% | 52% | ||
| 48% | 50% | Clean Sheets | C S | 18% | 28% | ||
| 12% | 8% | Failed to Score | F T | 45% | 28% | ||
| 5.2 | 4.5 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 4.5 | 4.8 | ||
| 5.6 | 5.8 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 5.5 | 5.1 | ||
| 1.4 | 1.5 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 1.4 | 1.5 | ||
| 1 | 0 | Red cards | R C | 1 | 1 | ||
| 13.6 | 14.4 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 9.5 | 11.2 | ||
| 4.4 | 4.4 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 3.3 | 4.2 | ||
| 35% | 42% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 28% | 28% | ||
| 11.1 | 10.4 | Shots against (avg) | S A | 13.8 | 13 | ||
| 3.7 | 4 | Shots on Target against (avg) | S O | 4.9 | 4.7 | ||
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Forest Green Rovers | 18 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 34 | 14 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 18 | 5 | 20 | 40 |
| 2 | Northampton Town | 19 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 7 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 34 |
| 3 | Exeter City | 19 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 31 | 21 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 8 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 33 |
| 4 | Swindon Town | 18 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 28 | 18 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 7 | 10 | 33 |
| 5 | Port Vale | 19 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 32 | 20 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 12 | 12 | 32 |
| 6 | Sutton United | 19 | 10 | 2 | 7 | 28 | 22 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 9 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 13 | 6 | 32 |
| 7 | Harrogate Town | 19 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 33 | 24 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 12 | 9 | 30 |
| 8 | Leyton Orient | 19 | 6 | 10 | 3 | 32 | 17 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 19 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 28 |
| 9 | Newport County | 19 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 30 | 23 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 8 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 15 | 15 | 7 | 28 |
| 10 | Tranmere Rovers | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 15 | 14 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 26 |
| 11 | Salford City | 19 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 22 | 19 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 13 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 12 | 3 | 24 |
| 12 | Bradford City | 19 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 25 | 23 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 15 | 11 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 12 | 2 | 24 |
| 13 | Rochdale | 19 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 24 | 24 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 13 | 12 | 0 | 24 |
| 14 | Walsall | 19 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 21 | 23 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 10 | -2 | 24 |
| 15 | Mansfield Town | 19 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 21 | 25 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 12 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 13 | -4 | 23 |
| 16 | Bristol Rovers | 19 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 22 | 29 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 14 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 15 | -7 | 23 |
| 17 | Hartlepool United | 19 | 7 | 2 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 20 | -10 | 23 |
| 18 | Colchester United | 18 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 16 | 22 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 10 | -6 | 21 |
| 19 | Crawley Town | 18 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 20 | 28 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 12 | -8 | 21 |
| 20 | Barrow | 19 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 20 | 24 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 12 | -4 | 19 |
| 21 | Stevenage | 18 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 15 | 30 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 20 | -15 | 18 |
| 22 | Carlisle United | 19 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 13 | 28 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 19 | -15 | 16 |
| 23 | Oldham Athletic | 19 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 16 | 30 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 14 | -14 | 15 |
| 24 | Scunthorpe United | 19 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 15 | 35 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 15 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 20 | -20 | 14 |