Sutton United: 2

Tonbridge Angels: 1

GAMES between Sutton United and Tonbridge Angels are never dull affairs and Saturday's clash at Gander Green Lane was no different.

Although Angels left Surrey licking their wounds as they fell to their fifth league defeat in seven matches, they can point to a complete dominance of the second half and being on the end of some debatable refereeing decisions by Michael Rowley.

Sutton goalkeeper Kevin Scriven was lucky to escape with a booking when he took out Akwasi Edusei as the last man and then when he gave away a penalty in the 70th minute, which Carl Rook missed, why referee Rowley didn't show a second yellow card to the stopper, only he knows.

To compound matters for the away side, Tom Bryant came off injured, adding to manager Tommy Warrilow's woes as his team are now down to their bare bones as injuries and suspensions begin to pile up.

"I couldn't have asked anymore from the boys on Saturday, they worked their socks off and although we didn't get anything from the match, I wasn't too despondent," Warrilow reflected. "I know I have said this before, but we don't seem to get the big decisions, both home and away. How the referee hasn't sent their keeper off when he took Q out, I don't know, and then for him to not give him a second caution when he gave away the penalty, well I just knew it wasn't going to be our day!

"It was always going to be a bit disjointed on Saturday just because of the players I had available, but everyone did what I asked without moaning and I am just disappointed we didn't get anything out of the match, as I felt we deserved something.

"The supporters were brilliant on Saturday, they were right behind us, chanting and appealing for everything.

"We aren't going to feel sorry for ourselves and we have just got to get our heads down, work hard, and hopefully our luck will begin to turn."

Injuries and suspensions severely affected Warrilow's selection, forcing him to make a number of changes. In came Jamie Cade, playing in an un-familar right-back slot, Sonny Miles, Tom Bryant, Scott Kinch and Akwasi Edusei.

Scott Gooding, head injury, and Marc Cumberbatch, failed a fitness test prior to the match, were missing and Lee Minshull and Kirk Watts began their two-match suspensions.

Despite all the changes, Angels began the match well and had a number of free-kicks and corners, but the Sutton defence stood up to the challenge.

The home side struck the woodwork twice in the space of two minutes, John Cartledge's shot hit the post and Matt Hann's superb angled effort clipped the bar, but Angels weathered this storm and continued to put pressure on the Sutton defence.

This nearly paid dividends in the 22nd minute when Anthony Storey's cross to the back post was headed back into Paul Booth and he connected well with an acrobatic volley. Sadly for Angels, Sutton had a man on the line and the shot was headed away from goal.

Eight minutes later, Sutton took the lead and it was a sloppy goal to give away from Angels' perspective. Hann's corner was flicked back into the danger area by Karim El-Salahi and an unmarked Charlie Taylor had the simple task of hooking home from six yards out.

Taylor then netted his second, only two minutes later as Sutton punished Angels, in particular Liam Harwood, for a lapse in concentration.

The defender let a high ball go under his foot on the halfway line, which let in James Norwood, who forced Lee Worgan into a smart save.

However, the rebound fell straight to Taylor and he fired into an empty net.

Warrilow's team-talk at the interval obviously had the desired effect as Angels came out with real purpose in the second half, and Sutton were penned in for the majority of the period.

Sonny Miles had a penalty shout turned down when it appeared he was hauled to the ground trying to get on the end of a corner, Harwood, who recovered well from his mistake, saw his dangerous free-kick pushed behind by Scriven and Scott Kinch headed over.

Referee Rowley then took centre stage, ruling Scriven was not the last man when he took out Edusei in the 60th minute, and failing to show the keeper a second yellow when he flattened the same player in the penalty area 10 minutes later.

The penalty was missed by Rook, who put the ball wide and you just felt it wasn't going to be Angels' day after that. He did score a goal in stoppage time, heading in from close range, but it wasn't enough.