After the departure of manager Will Letts a fortnight ago, captain Katie McIntyre was in charge and one of the substitutes, and after Abbie Measures had produced a brilliant block inside the first five minutes to prevent an early goal, Sutton enjoyed a good spell and were unlucky not to go in front. Jaz Backhurst hit the bar with a trademark free kick from 25 yards, with Khyri McKenzie denied by a fine save from the rebound, and the resulting corner saw both Cutler and Natasha Hurst have shots cleared off the line. Having survived those scares Ebbsfleet then struck twice in as many minute, but Sutton immediately reduced the arrears as Mia South’s low cross from the right was swept in by Cutler. The first half saw nine minutes of stoppage time after injuries to Measures, Hurst and McKenzie, the last two forced off, and it was in this spell that Ebbsfleet took the game away from U’s with three goals.

Sutton responded well after the break, and Cutler scored again from a fine through pass by Measures, but a long range shot in to the top corner restored the four goal margin and two more goals, the second with the last meaningful kick of the game, gave the scoreline a rather more one-sided look than the game deserved.

Sutton: Z McNulty, S Modak, E Meehan, F Colepio, M South, H Talbut-Smith, A Measures, J Backhurst, A Cutler, K McKenzie, N Hurst. Subs C Francis, T Hooper, E Spear, K McIntyre.