Late strike gives Sutton all the points

Sutton raced into an early lead when Mitchell kept his cool to slot by the advancing Dennis.

This really should have opened the floodgates for the Snipes against lowly Anstey, but the early strike seemed to do the opposite as Sutton took their foot of the pedal and it was the visitors who looked likely to score next.

Anstey were applying all the pressure and had good chances to level with Blythe and Robinson both denied by West in the Sutton goal.

Anstey were made to pay for missing their chances as Sutton scored against the run of play whenOwens beat the offside trap before crossing to Guest who headed home.

The Snipes should really have put the game to bed five minutes later as Mitchell again beat the visitors offside trap.

He raced one on one with Dennis and elected to shoot rather than square to Grayson who had the simplest of tap-ins.

Anstey started the second half well and pulled a goal back when Blythe beat the offside trap as Hewitt stepped up, and kept his cool to slide the ball past West and put Anstey back in the game.

West then made another great save from Creese as Anstey looked for the equaliser.

And they didn’t have to wait long as with 20 minutes remaining Flynn got to the byline and crossed to the back stick. West couldn’t reach the ball and Robinson stole in front of Sweeney to head home.

To be fair it was what Anstey deserved and Sutton would have to find something extra in the remaining 20 minutes if they were going to stay in touch with the league leaders.

Luckily that is what they did when, with 12 minutes remaining, Sweeney swung in a cross to the visitor’s box. Mitchell reacted first lashing the ball past Dennis in the Anstey goal.

Anstey threw everything at Sutton in the last10 minutes, but the Snipes’ defence stood firm, and as the referee blew for full time, Sutton were relieved to have secured all three points.

The games are coming thick and fast now after the weather break and Snipes are again at home on Tuesday against Holwell Sports.

Sutton Team: West, Tittley, M Hewitt, Charlesworth, Sweeney, Grayson, Rhodes, Mitchell, Owens, Guest, Fields. Subs: Naughton, D Short, Mitchell, Grinnion.

Sutton M.O.M: Neil West