Match Report

Luke Hannant’s second half penalty was all that stood between Sutton United and Gateshead, with the U’s falling to a third league defeat in a row.

The first half saw the home side threaten the most, with Eduino Vaz’s driven effort at goal and Will Davies’ blocked effort the closest they came. The visitors were happy to pass the ball between the backline and soak up the Sutton pressure but neither side could conjure an opener within the opening half.

With little action in the first half, it took a handball from Finley Barbrook to open the floodgates shortly before the hour-mark with Hannant converting from the spot, and although Steve Morison’s side created a handful of chances in their search for a leveller, were unable to find a way through to a stubborn Heed defence.

Defeat against Gateshead means the U’s slip to 14^th in the Vanarama National League table, and will be looking to end their string of defeats with a trip to Braintree Town next up on Saturday.

There were four changes to the starting XI from the Oldham Athletic game, with Jack Sims making his league debut in place of Steve Arnold, while Jeremy Sivi and Vaz joined the starting XI in place of Chin Okoli and the suspended Ashley Nadesan. Furthermore, a enforced change saw Lewis Simper miss out due to an injury sustained last weekend, with Siju Odelusi coming into the side.

The hosts would have the first real sight at goal after the break when Josh Coley and Jayden Harris combined nicely before laying the ball to Vaz, who drove his effort just wide of the target.

Harris would then follow with a chance of his own, with the midfielder finding himself in space but saw his effort at goal blocked.

Vaz would then lead the next U’s attack, doing well to press the backline before eventually putting a dangerous ball in the box towards Davies, who’s effort was blocked out for a corner.

This preceded another chance for the visitors, as a ball through lines to Hannant looked to create an opening, although Coley, taking up an unfamiliar wing-back position, did well to block the attacker and stop any threat from the visitors, meaning it was goalless going into the break.

The first chance of the second half saw Jeremy Sivi cut inside and fire a low effort towards goal which Tiernan Brooks was equal to, but it wouldn’t be long before the deadlock was broken.

In search of an opener, the second half saw the only goal of the game less than ten minutes after the restart. After the referee initially waved away shouts of handball, the assistant raised his flag moments later with Hannant stepping to make no mistake from 12 yards

The U’s looked to immediately respond, with Sivi doing well to beat his man before delivering a driven ball into the box towards Harris, which Gateshead managed to intercept.

Soon after, Regan Booty looped a powerful free kick into the penalty area which went over the head of all the Gateshead players waiting in the box and out for a goal kick. Coley subsequently chasing down Sims’ long ball, doing excellently to flick it past the defender to reach the byline before delivering into the danger area, with his cross being cleared as far as Barbrook who’s driven effort was blocked.

Sutton’s first change saw Matt Rush introduced in place of Vaz, and almost had an instant impact as the U’s number ten drove up the pitch before squaring the ball to Harris, who was unable to beat Brooks.

The U’s would follow up with their second substitution of the game, as Dillon De Silva replaced Sivi, shortly before Tyrelle Newton played the ball to Callum Whelan who smacked his effort off the crossbar.

A couple of late set pieces saw the hosts put a barrage of pressure on the Heed late on, but the visitors managed to deal with it to take all three points back to Tyneside.

Sutton United: J Sims; T French, A Kirk, C Waller; J Coley, F Barbrook, S Odelusi, J Sivi (sub D De Silva 80); J Harris, E Vaz (sub M Rush 73); W Davies. Subs n/u S Arnold, N Boateng, C Okoli. Booked: Vaz, Harris, Barbrook.

Gateshead: T Brooks; J Belehouan, B Radcliffe, D Jones, L Hannant, T Newton, R Booty, C Whelan, J Butterfield (sub O Oseni 71), J Malcolm (sub C Colkett 79 (sub J Home 89)), M Beck (sub B Worman 72). Subs n/u O Basey, R Tinkler, T Allan. Booked: Newton, Oseni, Hannant, Booty.

Referee: Elliott Swallow

Attendance: 2,100(50 away)