Sutton 3-0 Horsham: Dion Pereira nets twice in the second half before Omari Patrick scores late to end the Hornets’ FA Cup dream in the second round

• Dion Pereira netted twice in 10 minutes to see Sutton progress in the FA Cup 
• Horsham held on until the 64th minute before Pereira’s opening strike 
• We expected perfection from VAR – we haven’t got it: Listen to It’s All Kicking Off 

Sutton United have pulled off a couple of memorable giant-killings over the years at their VBS Community Stadium, better known as Gander Green Lane, but on Saturday they were happy to avoid one.

Bottom of the Football League and depleted by injuries, they probably feared the worst against the first round’s lucky losers, who had been reinstated in the competition after their conquerors Barnsley were found top have fielded an ineligible player.

But seventh-tier Horsham’s luck ran out in their ninth FA Cup match of the season, as two second-half goals from Dion Pereira, on loan from Luton Town, and a third from Omari Patrick put the League Two side into the third round for the first time since 2017.

‘It has been good and shown what we are capable of,’ Horsham manager Dominic Di Paola, said. ‘But we are disappointed. Some of the things we are good at we didn’t do today.’

The 1,265 visiting supporters chanted ‘Lardy Army’ and managed to uphold club tradition by placing two packs of lard on the roof of the home dugout.

Dion Pereira netted twice in 10 minutes as Sutton progressed into the FA Cup third round

Horsham held on until the 64th minute but ultimately could not pull off a shock win

Sutton boss Matt Gray will have an eye on the next round as they could draw Premier League opposition

And while their team soaked up some rudimentary pressure and the match remained goalless they remained hopeful that their forwards might find a goal on the break.

However, Pereira fired off two warnings, testing Horsham goalkeeper Lewis Carey with a low shot and then a swerving free kick, and Thomas Kavanagh cleared Joe Kizzi’s header off the line.

When Sutton missed two good second-half chances Horsham might just have felt it was going to be their day but they could not capitalise despite forcing some promising set-play situations.

And after 64 minutes Pereira finally got the goal he had threatened, rolling the ball past Carey from ten yards. Ten minutes later, he staged a repeat before substitute Patrick side-footed a late third.

‘We needed the goals and it was a really good second half for me,’ Pereira said.

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