Sutton's luck finally ran out in this year's FA Cup at the final qualifying hurdle when they were beaten by a single goal at Vauxhall Conference side Chelmsford Town in front of 1505 spectators.

 Sutton could have few complaints as despite having chances in both halves they never really got to grips with the game so it is Cheltenham who's higher league experience probably saw them through who go on to meet Tiverton in the first round proper.

 Cheltenham had the first chance of the afternoon after ten minutes Dale Watkins getting in down Sutton's left and putting over a cross which caused confusion in the penalty area ending with Sean Daly's attempted clearance hitting Les Cleevely and spinning to Danny Brooker who cleared. Paul Clark was booked for a foul in midfield three minutes later and from the resulting free kick and Watkins was again left alone inside the box but his header looped over Cleevely and also the bar.

 Clive Gartell was booked fifteen minutes from the break for another tackle and Sutton then had probably their best chance of the half. Paul Clark failing to connect with a free kick inside the box, but the ball ended up at the feet of David Everitt who's cross was met by Joff Vansittart but his header went just wide.

 Five minutes from half time Sutton went close again Matt Hanlan just failing to get enough contact on another Everitt cross enabling keeper Steve Book to smother the shot and then Hanlan turned provider cleverly getting a cross passed two Cheltenham defenders but Vansittart twisting and turning inside the box didn't get any power in the shot.

 Cheltenham upped the tempo after the break and it was all hands to the pump in the Sutton defense in which Paul Clark was outstanding all afternoon. In the first minute Dale Watkins again found himself in on goal but Les Cleevely denied him low to his right and three minutes later he again should have scored as a cross deceived Les but having controlled the ball well he blazed over an empty net. Then in an action replay of the Yeading goal last week a free kick played across the Sutton box was goal bound until it hit a Chelmsford player and went for away for a goal kick.

 Sutton then had their best spell of the game, a free kick given for a foul on Vansittart found its way to Andy Salako and in the ensuing scramble, both his shot, and the follow up by Paul Clark, struck defenders. Salako then had a header that just cleared the bar when he found himself free at the far post and Matt Hanlan forced a good save out of keeper Book, Joff Vansittart just failing to get to the rebound.

 But with fifteen minutes to go the goal finally came. The ball was lost in midfield and the ball was played across the box where it fell to Keith Knight who blasted his shot home.

 Sutton brought on Dominic Feltham for Sean Daly but he failed to have a great influence on the game and it was Cheltenham who played out the remainder of the game without any great alarms.

 The Sutton side was:

Les Cleevely in goal. Danny Brooker and David Everitt the wing backs. Clive Gartell, Sean Daly and Paul Clark were the central defenders. Steve Watson, Jimmy Dack and Andy Salako in midfield with Joff Vansittart and Matt Hanlan up front. Dominic Feltham came on for Sean Daly and John Ugbah and Dave Pattullo were the unused subs.

Sutton now face a trip to struggling Oxford on Tuesday in the league. Dagenham and Redbridge who are exempt until the first round of the FA Cup dropped two vital league points yesterday at home to Yeading.

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