The last league game of season 2008-9 saw AFC Hornchurch visit Gander Green Lane just needing to avoid defeat to progress into the playoffs and U's needing to win to ensure their place in the following Tuesday's playoff semi final. With much at stake Hornchurch knowing that a draw would suffice, U's took control from the off but were finding their opponents defence a hard nut to crack and early chances were at a premium. However on 39mins the deadlock was broken by Danny Philips scoring a superb debut goal to give Sutton the advantaged they desperately sought. Things were looking rosy at halftime for the home side until 5mins after the restart, Sutton keeper Nicholls misjudges a cross and allows Curley to head into the unguarded net to level the match. The game settled back into its first half mode with Hornchurch showing little intention of venturing forward and U's began to dominate but again were finding it difficult to penetrate. On 70mins it was time for some changes, Steve Watts took the field and just 4 minutes later in a carbon copy of the Dartford match just weeks earlier, the ball was inexplicably handled in the Hornchurch box by scorer Curley. Up steps Watts to power the spot kick low to Behcet's left to put Sutton into the playoffs and allow U's supporters to salvage what was left of their finger nails.
