Stringer Left Disappointed At Sutton

The visitors took the lead at Gander Green Lane through Michael West’s overhead kick on 17 minutes but a 2-minute brace from Kieran Cadogan meant that Paul Doswell’s Sutton side ended the Clarets’ unbeaten pre-season.

Speaking afterwards, Stringer spoke of his delight at how his team played in the first half but felt that they lacked in certain positions during the second half: “At the end of the day, pre-season is pre-season.

“We were very good at half-time and I’m disappointed we did not come off of something other than that. We won the first-half and they won the second, that is pretty much how the game went really.

“We looked very good at half-time, Westy then went off and we lost that little bit there and then they have scored two goals out of a bit of sloppiness from us, clearing your lines on the edge-of-the-box which they did very well.

“You know when you play higher opposition that you’ll raise your game - that’s just natural in football - but I was pleased with what I have seen. We have a good bench here, we have got players outside the squad. So there is plenty to think about.”

The Clarets now begin the final set of preparations before they open their National League South campaign at home to Gloucester City on Saturday 5th August. But Stringer feels it will be a difficult opening match for either side due to their lack of knowledge of each other.

“We wouldn’t know a lot about them, I’m sure they wouldn’t know a lot about us. I don’t know If they had us watched or not.

“We’ll piece together a team that will be good enough for today and we’ll go again but I’m sure they’ll be a tough opposition. I’ve been in the Northern League for a season-and-a-half and I know it’s a tough league.

“It’s more of a physical league than this but I believe Gloucester are more of a footballing team so, like anything, if we do not turn up today then it will be tough but they have to travel down and it would be nice that they go back with nothing come five o’clock”.