report by Tony Dolbear

Sutton's disappointing run in to the end of the season continued on Tuesday when Chesham, like Boreham Wood on Saturday, picked up valuable points at U's expense in their fight to stay in the Premier Division of the Ryman League. The irony is that both Boreham Wood and Chesham remain favourites for the drop following Heybridge's win over Bedford, with Boreham Wood needing to win at Maidenhead to stay up and Chesham needing something at Hendon, and also left to hope that Heybridge cannot match that result in their home game with Aylesbury. U's made Chesham fight all the way for the points on Tuesday, and it was only when Paul Fewings scored a superb goal inside the last five minutes that the home side could feel safe. They had started with an early goal, U's failing to clear a corner and being punished as Andy Douglas headed in, but Sutton should have equalised within minutes as a fine run and cross by Craig Brown saw Matt Hanlan head straight at Delroy Preddie from close range. U's played some neat football at times, but were always vulnerable to the speed of Douglas on the break, Jamie Ribolla having to come outside his area to clear on one occasion, and Douglas also shooting over from close range from a Fewings cross. Sutton had another chance to level just before the break when Nick Bailey timed his run well to meet an Eddie Akuamoah cross, but saw his shot blocked by a combination of Preddie and defender Grant Cooper. U's weren't helped by having to make changes either side of half time as both Craig Brown and Danny Bolt limped off, and for a while in the second half they struggled to make any impact as Chesham launched the ball forward whenever U's found themselves in their half. Steve Dogbe hit the post with a flick from a free kick, and Douglas shot straight at Riobolla after a mix up between Bailey and Danny Brooker, but U's fought back and were unlucky when a fine piece of defending from James Bent took the ball off Akuamoah's feet just as he seemed set to convert a Mark Watson pass. Bailey, Scott Corbett and Matt Gray all tried their luck from distance with no success, and the game finally went away from them when substitute Kevin Mealor put Fewings in on the left and he sent a fierce rising drive across Ribolla in to the top corner from just inside the penalty area.

Chesham: D Preddie, J Bent, D Braithwaite, G Cooper, W Brown, A Scarlett, S Sinclair(sub D Fotheringham H-T), s Dogbe, P Fewings, A Douglas, J Morgan(sub K Mealor 84). Subs n/u N Bowden-Haase, M Nwokeji, M Kleboe. Goals: Douglas(5), Fewings(86). Booked: Dogbe(22-foul), Morgan(34-foul).

Sutton: T Dunn, D Brooker, E Akuamoah, R Palmer, M Hanlan, N Bailey, D Bolt(sub D Beale 56) S Corbett, M Gray, M Watson, C Brown(sub P Honey 42) Subs n/u N Drew. Booked: Beale(60-foul).

Referee: S Creighton Attendance: 212