Report by Tony Dolbear

For the second time in slightly less than a month Sutton emerged from an away game that was to be endured rather than enjoyed with a crucial single goal victory that enabled them to keep up their Ryman League challenge on a day when they were the only side in the top six to win. As at Braintree at the beginning of December U's were far from their best, although heavy conditions and bitter cold were hardly conducive to a repeat of U's performance a year ago, when they put six past Harrow in the corresponding fixture, and they were a touch fortunate to be ahead at half time. The second half found them doing more to justify their lead, but it remained largely a game to be forgotten soon after the final whistle. Looking to end a run of four successive defeats it was Harrow who looked the livelier early on but Andy Pape, returning to the ground on which he enjoyed such success in the early 1980s, was determined to give his former side no encouragement and made good saves from Andy Aransibia's diving header and then a low shot from the dangerous Esayas Yhdego, who had run from just inside U's half. Sutton failed to make any early impact at the other end, a dangerous Danny Bolt free kick just evading several players at the far post, but in the 32nd minute they produced what was to be the decisive moment. Mark Watson was the architect, showing good strength on the left of the penalty area to hold off Richard Goddard before laying the ball back from the byline to Scott Corbett. He went for placement rather than power with a first time shot from 18 yards that was just inside goalkeeper Keita Karamoko's right hand post, but having got both hands to it the Mali international will have been disappointed not to have kept the ball out. U's immediately had to make a change as Darren Beale limped off with a leg injury, and Harrow should have been level before the break when Yhdego again burst through and exchanged passes to leave himself clear, only then to volley wastefully wide. U's played the part of a top three side rather better in the second half, and almost doubled their lead eight minutes in when Corbett met Bolt's free kick from the left with a downward header that was superbly saved by Karamoko, who also did well to hold Corbett's follow up effort. U's cause was further helped as Harrow once more lost their discipline and for the third time in four meetings failed to complete a game against Sutton with eleven players. The trouble had its origins in a fracas involving most of the players after U's had taken exception to Harrow playing on close to where Nick Bailey was lying injured, but with referee Steve Creighton's attentions elsewhere, and his assistants unable to help, a general warning to the captains sufficed. Within a minute, though, assistant referee David Lovegrove spotted Davis Haule's use of an elbow in an off the ball incident with Lewis Gonsalves, and his evidence was enough for Mr Creighton to produce the red card. Harrow might have equalised soon afterwards, Yhdego again the threat with a shot just wide, but Sutton had moments where they might have made the game safe as Corbett and Ryan Palmer sent shots over the bar. The best chance, though, fell to substitute Eddie Akuamoah five minutes from time after a great run by Bailey, but Karamoko was off his line quickly to divert the ball with his legs and deny U's striker, who had scored a hat trick in the game a year earlier. As it was U's were relieved to hear the final whistle, having survived a late scare when Goddard was put in by a long ball over the top, but his first touch on his chest was poor and Pape was able to dive at his feet and avert the danger.

Harrow: Karamoko, Dyer(B Haule 82), Yhdego, Norman, Goddard, Marney, Walters, D Haule, McKenna, Aransibia(Hackett 82), Brown(Valenti 77). Subs n/u Gridelet, Berry.

Sutton: Pape, Gray, Hollands, Palmer, Beale(Brooker 33), Bailey, Bolt(Honey 77), Corbett, Fowler(Akuamoah 81), Watson, Gonsalves.

Referee: S Creighton Attendance 279