A late own goal from Jack Taylor saw Sutton United lose for the first time in 2025 at the hands of Hartlepool United.

A goalless but competitive first half resulted in a perfect start to the second, with Will Davies notching his ninth goal in as many games with just 45 seconds on the clock when he got on the end of Dillon De Silva’s low cross to tap the U’s in front. However, the hosts were pegged back with 14 minutes to go when a huge slice of luck saw Adam Campbell’s effort blocked into path of Gary Madine, who headed the Pools level.

This was followed by a couple of heroic moments for Alex Kirk and Jack Sims, who produced a clearance off the line and a crucial double stop to deny Reyes Cleary and Campbell and seemingly ensure it would be a point apiece at the VBS Community Stadium, but with four minutes, David Ferguson’s corner caused havoc in the box with the final touch diverting it past Sims, seemingly off Taylor, to condemn the U’s to their first loss of the new year.

Defeat against Hartlepool sees the U’s unable to close the gap on the top seven, and now have a clear week to prepare for Saturday’s trip to Oldham Athletic as they look to bounce back in Greater Manchester.

Steve Morison made wholesale changes from the midweek victory over Nottingham Forest in the National League Cup, and included a notable return for Ashley Nadesan to the Sutton bench, while Junior Robinson came straight in for his debut having signed on loan from West Ham United at the start of the week.

A rapid start to proceedings saw a handful of chances fall to both sides in the opening ten minutes. Lewis Simper kicked things off with an early effort from distance that flew inches wide of the near post, before Mani Dieseruvwe and Cleary had a couple of chances of their own to break the deadlock. The former was first denied by a superb point-blank stop from Jack Sims, before the latter then linked up with Madine to produce an even clearer opening, but could only fire into Sims’ midriff.

This then preceded a glorious chance for Simper when De Silva’s pass took a wicked deflection which diverted the ball into the former’s path, but he couldn’t take advantage of the one-on-one situation as goalkeeper Adam Smith committed a strong challenge to get the ball away.

A competitive affair saw both sides look to grab a hold of proceedings, and an excellent chance fell to the hosts in an attempt to take a precious lead. Some quick thinking from Siju Odelusi saw the U’s midfielder play a free kick long to the onrushing Simper while Hartlepool were still getting into their defensive shape, allowing the former Cambridge United man acres of space to run into. After getting the ball under control he teed up Eduino Vaz, who bent a vicious low cross into the danger area where Davies came inches away from a tap-in.

This was followed by a prolonged period in which Hartlepool dominated the ball, although they initially struggled to find a way past a solid U’s backline. Finley Barbrook was booked for a late challenge on Campbell in an attempt to stop a break on goal shortly before the half-hour mark, with the resulting free kick being cleared out for a corner. Ferguson’s delivery was met by the head of captain Luke Waterfall, who headed down the throat of Sims, and was followed by a promising attack led by Cleary. The Pools’ winger picked out Daniel Dodds at the back post, with his tame volley being blocked on the line by Besart Topallaj.

The floodgates seemed to have opener for the visitors though, with Anthony Limbrick’s side gaining some momentum. Another Ferguson corner was met by Madine who’s effort was blocked from close range, before a Cleary cross led to a scramble in the box that eventually ended with Nathan Sheron’s free header being sent just wide.

Cleary proved to be a constant threat down the flank throughout the first half and forced Sutton to clear another one of his dangerous deliveries as the clock ticked towards half time, shortly before Nicky Featherstone’s deep free kick dropped to Waterfall who couldn’t keep his effort on target.

Three minutes of added time signalled the end of the opening 45, although there was just enough time for Barbrook to drive towards goal on the stroke of the interval, seeing a dangerous low effort well blocked by Ferguson to send the two sides into the break level.

Half time perhaps couldn’t have come at a worse time for the visitors who had just started to produce some momentum, and it took less than a minute for the Pools to get pegged back as De Silva superbly reached the byline before picking out Davies in the middle, who made no mistake from close range to open the scoring.

Looking to maintain the advantage, Morison opted to bring Robinson’s debut to an end after a promising introduction to the Sutton faithful, with Taylor entering the fray, while Nadesan returned to action in place of De Silva after three games out.

And the latter almost produced an instant impact, with Davies brilliantly holding up the ball before sliding it through to Nadesan, who got it under control, checked inside and fired a tame effort into the gloves of Smith.

This was followed by another promising chance, with Simper winning possession in a dangerous area and picking out Davies, who drove forward before looking to find Nadesan. The ball was intercepted and cleared as far as Odelusi, who drilled a low effort that failed to test Smith.

In search of a route back into the game, Hartlepool introduced Sam Folarin in place of Featherstone, and the Pools’ number 27 almost produced an immediate impact when he glanced Cleary’s cross just over the crossbar.

But the visitors did manage to beat Sims at long last moments later when Barbrook put his body on the line to brilliantly block Campbell’s powerful drive, but the ball looped up in the air towards Madine, who manage to force the ball over the line to level in fortuitous fashion.

Campbell almost completed a rapid turnaround when he fizzed a vicious first-time volley that required Alex Kirk to produce a superb last-ditch challenge to clear his effort off the line.

This was followed by a heroic moment for Sims this time, who produced an unbelievable double stop to deny Cleary and then Campbell again.

But this would soon prove to be in vain, as Ferguson’s dangerous corner took a touch off Taylor to send it over the line and give Hartlepool the three points heading back to the North-East.

Sutton United: Sims; French, Kirk, Topallaj; Robinson (Taylor 61’), Barbrook, Odelusi, Vaz (Sandat 88’); De Silva (Nadesan 61’), Simper; Davies

Hartlepool United: Smith; Dodds, Ferguson, Waterfall, Hunter (Charman 62’), Madine (Sloggett 87’), Campbell, Sheron, Featherstone (Folarin 70’), Cleary (Robinson 90’), Dieservuwe

Photo Credit: Paul Loughlin