Report by Tony Dolbear
It's been said by Sutton's management more than once that consistency is always likely to prove elusive with a squad as young as U's have at present, and so after such a powerful surge to a challenging position in the Ryman League before Christmas it may not be a surprise that life has subsequently been more of a struggle. Ironically their one win since Christmas, at Harrow, came from probably their poorest performance of the five games they have played, and certainly on Saturday there would have been few complaints had they picked up at least a point. As it was, Billericay became the first side this season to do the double over U's with a performance that made it easy to see why they have conceded fewer goals than any other side in the Premier Division. Sutton didn't help their cause with some careless passing at times from the back, but even so the visitors' defence, in which Chris Moore was outstanding, looked solid throughout. U's had to go in to the game without the experience of Andy Pape and Scott Corbett due to injury and illness respectively, and when stand-in captain Danny Brooker was forced off with just nine minutes played it left them with a line-up among the youngest to have represented the club at senior level, with nine of the eleven players on the pitch aged 23 or younger. By the time Brooker limped off both sides might have scored, with Matt Fowler taking a shot early after receiving the ball 25 yards out but seeing Jerome John claw the attempted chip down to safety, and then at the other end Russell Penn heading against the bar after fine work on the right by Richard Graham. Sutton remained lively, and Fowler did well on the right before cutting back a low cross which was met by Mike Hollands, whose shot was blocked. Just after the half hour, though, Lewis Gonsalves was booked for upending Penn, although U's felt they should have had a free kick of their own when their attack broke down.The free kick came to nothing, but heralded a spell in which Sutton struggled to relieve the pressure and eventually, after several corners and throw-ins, a cross came in from the left which wasn't cleared and Richard Graham's header across goal was nodded in by Gary Ansell. A minute later it could have been 2-0, as Mark Graham's 20 yard volley clipped the top of the crossbar, but Sutton regained their momentum early in the second half. Mark Watson met a high cross from Matt Gray with a fine header that was well saved by John, and then just failed to connect with Nick Bailey's chip across goal after Gray's mis-hit shot had fallen to Bailey, whose first attempt was parried by the keeper. The visitors' defence was largely in command, though, and U's struggled to have that many clear sights of goal, but it was 25 minutes before Billericay had their first shot of the half. Sadly for U's, it was a significant shot as well, as U's defence failed to get tight enough to Andy Douglas as he turned inside on to a right wing throw in and hit a volley from 18 yards that dipped under Jamie Ribolla's crossbar. Ribolla made a fine save moments later, tipping away a fierce close range shot that would have capped Moore's afternoon, while Douglas' next involvement was to be booked as referee Russell Evans singled him out as the catalyst for a dispute involving most of the players on the pitch after a challenge between Penn and Bailey. To their great credit U's refused to lie down, and when Danny Bolt's free kick was scrambled in by Bailey six minutes from time it gave them the incentive to go for the equaliser. On another day it might have come from one of several skirmishes in or around the six yard box, but Billericay's was not a defence to be breached easily, and helped by some positive goalkeeping from John, who twice came quickly off his line to save, they held on to maintain their own outside interest in what is becoming a wide open championship race.

Sutton: J Ribolla, M Gray, M Hollands(E Akuamoah 71), R Palmer, D Brooker(D Beale 9), N Bailey, D Bolt, P Honey, M Fowler, M Watson, L Gonsalves. Sub n/u N Drew. Goal: Bailey(84). Booked: Gonsalves(33-foul).

Billericay: J John, L Williams, D Kerrigan, D Gilley, C Moore, R Graham, G Henty, A Douglas(N Savidge 84), G Ansell(P Fewings 80), M Graham, R Penn. Subs n/u J Rantala, D Morris, M Fay. Goals: Ansell(36), Douglas(70). Booked: Douglas(76-unsporting behaviour).

Referee: R Evans Attendance 537