Basingstoke Town 1 Sutton United 1

Asker 84 Salako 59

Sutton had to put behind then the disappointment of last Saturday's draw with Kingston to take on fast improving Basingstoke at the Camrose on Saturday.

Joff Vansittart was fit to start having gone off at half time in that game and Paul Clark came back into the side in place of Azeez Akinbolu.

 With Sutton now out of contention for top spot and Basingstoke in mid table and with their eye on a Full Members Cup Final against Hendon in midweek the first half had a distinctly "end of season" feel about it. Nassim Akrour worked some magic to put in Junior Haynes midway through the half but his shot hit the side netting from an acute angle. Ian Mancey should have put the home side ahead early on when he failed to finish a good move having rounded Les Cleevely, his shot fairly feeble in front of a yawning goal. But considering they had the advantage of the elements Basingstoke made very few opportunities and in a game of few chances Sutton at least deserved to be level at the break.

 Sutton had the majority of the early play in the second half and had to be grateful to keeper Dean Beale for several saves before in the fifty-ninth minute Sutton took the lead. Junior Haynes run and cross was met with great power on the volley from eight yards by Andy Salako and Beale made a miraculous save to send the ball for a corner but from the kick Salako had the simplest of tasks to stab home from a yard after Joff Vansittart had flicked on Jimmy Dack's kick. Sutton deserved their lead and looked as if they would go on to win comfortably and were within six minutes of victory when the home side equalised.

 A corner from the left was punched out by Les Cleevely but the ball landed at the feet of substitute David Asker who returned it into the top corner from just inside the box. Beale made one more good save from Nassim Akrour but the last six minutes was most notable for the sending off of Jimmy Dack for retaliation after a tussle with Alan Carey who did commit a bad foul but was not even booked. John Ugbah replaced Junior Haynes to shore up the midfield and the game fizzled out into a draw in front of a healthy crowd of 703.

The Sutton line up was:

Les Cleevely, Danny Brooker, Gwynne Berry, Paul Clark, Barry Laker, Jimmy Dack, Steve Watson, Andy Salako, Nassim Akrour, Joff Vansittart and Junior Haynes.

 John Ugbah replaced Junior Haynes

David Everitt and Mark Watson were the unused Subs.

 Sutton's last league game of the season is at home to Bromley next Saturday, kick off 3pm.

The final of the Guardian Insurance Cup is scheduled for the following Tuesday at Harrow Borough's ground.

Kingstonian were crowned champions on Thursday evening when they won one nil at relegated Oxford City .