Bishop's Stortford 0

Sutton United 1

(Played at Clarence Park, St. Alban's)

Another precious three points in a game where Sutton were never at their best but on a stodgy pitch with the wind and rain featuring strongly the points were probably more important than the performance.

Andy Salako had the best chance in the first ten minutes the keeper making a good double save after a defensive error had put him through but Dave Green for Stortford probably had the best chance in the opening twenty minutes when James Virgo slipped on the tricky surface when under no pressure but his shot fortunately went wide of Les Cleevely's outstretched hand and the right hand post.

This seemed to sting both sides into action after a fairly quiet start. Firstly Nassim Akrour could have done better from a knock down from Joff Vansittart and he had another opportunity within seconds after a fine move between Jimmy Dack and Vansittart again gave him the opportunity to shoot from just outside the box but his shot went just wide.

Stortford also had chances, Les Cleevely making a brilliant save when a shot from fully thirty yards was dipping into the top corner but he managed to get a hand to it and push it over for a corner via the crossbar. From the resulting corner he again came to the rescue "sitting" on a Paul Adeola shot which found its way through a crowded penalty area.

A Joff Vansittart header also bounced off the crossbar at the other end and the striker was guilty of a bad miss just before half time volleying over from six yards with only the keeper to beat.

Paul Clark was booked just before half time for a tackle just outside the box but the sides went in level at the break.

Jimmy Dack's free kick was well saved by the keeper at the beginning of the second half, but in truth after all the chances of the first period the second was rather quiet, Sutton striving for a goal they needed but Stortford sitting back more seemingly happy to try and keep one point. However Les did have to be alert with 15 minutes to go when Dave Green got in on the right but the advancing keeper blocked his shot.

Two Stortford players were booked for persistent infringements in the last quarter of an hour as Sutton began to turn the screw and just as it seemed that they were never going to get the goal there effort deserved it came with four minutes to go.

Joff Vansittart got a cross in from the right that the Stortford keeper failed to hold and Dominic Feltham who had come on for Akrour ten minutes before gleefully stabbed the ball over the line from four yards.

The goal caused a sharp rise in the tempo of the game, James Virgo going into the book for a tackle and Ricky Antoine for Stortford going the same way for a trip on Dominic Feltham. But as the game went into injury time there was a flare up between Danny Brooker and Dave Green who had previously been booked and he was sent off by referee Keegan for his second bookable offence.

Sutton's joy was complete ten minutes after the game when they learned that main rivals Dagenham and Redbridge had been beaten at home by Enfield by two goals to nil. So Sutton now sit proudly on top of the Ryman League by four clear points and still have a game in hand.

The Sutton line up was:

Les Cleevely, Danny Brooker, David Everitt, Gwynne Berry, Paul Clark, James Virgo, Jimmy Dack, John Ugbah, Andy Salako, Nassim Akrour, Joff Vansittart.

Dominic Feltham replaced Nassim Akrour

Steve Watson and Barry Laker were the unused Subs.

Sutton have no league game next Saturday but are due to play their Guardian Insurance Cup replay against Basingstoke Town on Tuesday evening although that game may be in some doubt due to the inclement weather.