While Sutton brought the curtains down on their 2025/26 season away at Boreham Wood, a number of U’s got their campaigns to a close elsewhere.
We run through them all in our April edition of Loan Watch.
Folkestone Invicta and Alex Woodyard kicked off April by lifting silverware, as a 2-1 win over St. Albans City secured the Isthmian League Premier Division title and promotion to the National League South for the Seasiders.
Woodyard completed the full match as goals from Jake Hutchinson and Kevin Lokko overturned Sam Smart’s early opener, as the Hertfordshire-based side attempted to spoil the party, with Invicta set to compete in the sixth tier for the first time in their first season after lifting the trophy with four games to spare.
Life as champions began with a guard of honour from Ramsgate, who would soon be defeated by Folkestone after a brace from Jake Hutchinson overturned an early Rams goal, before Nathan Paul-Lavaly gave them the lead with a little over 15 minutes to go. Woodyard had come on two minutes earlier, having started on the bench for the first time since arriving at Cheriton Road, replacing Ryan Kingsford, and played another 78 minutes as Invicta were then held to a 2-2 draw by Whitehawk.
Woodyard subsequently returned to the bench as the Stripes rescued a point at the death against Cray Valley (PM) to extend their unbeaten run to eight games, coming on with 15 minutes to go as Ben Mason scored a late equaliser to cancel out Alfie Newby’s opener, before ending a historic 2025/26 campaign with another 90 minutes under his belt as the champions closed out the season with a 5-3 win over Cheshunt, nicely preparing for their maiden campaign in the National League South.
Photo Credit: Sharn Chapman
Speaking of title charges, Liam Vincent’s Dorking Wanderers’ hopes of promotion took an early scare as a 3-0 defeat to Horsham saw the gap to second close to three points on Good Friday. Vincent was replaced at half time with the Wanderers trailing by a Leone Gravata goal, and his teammates were unable to turn things around in Sussex as Worthing’s 2-1 win over Eastbourne Borough meant the Easter Monday clash between the top two gave the Rebels the chance to draw level on points.
Ashley Nadesan was replaced at half time in the Sussex derby as his side overturned Adam May’s opener with two goals in the final ten minutes, setting up the game of the season at Meadowbank just three days later. The former Crawley Town man began the game from the off in Surrey as Sutton-born midfielder Charlie Carter opened the scoring shortly before the hour-mark, with Nadesan replaced moments after Razzaq Coleman De-Graft restored parity with half-an-hour to go. Vincent was then introduced for Dorking ten minutes later, and could only watch on as a moment of brilliance from Remeiro Moulton gave Worthing the most precious of leads with four minutes to go, sending the visitors to the top of the National League South on goal difference with three games remaining.
Worthing soon before the champions elect – surely only a matter of when rather than if they would be crowned winners of the National League South. Nadesan came on with 13 minutes remaining as Adam Hinshelwood’s side took an even bigger leap with a 7-2 thumping of Dagenham & Redbridge, as goals from Jack Spong, Wiktor Makowski (2), Teddy Jenks, Callum Morton, Joe Cook and Brad Dolaghan sent the Rebels three points clear at the summit, aided by Dorking slipping up at the worst possible time.
Marc White’s men fell to a 2-1 defeat against AFC Totton – their third loss on the spin – to lose their grip on top spot as Worthing stepped ever closer to a place in the National League. Vincent replaced Louis Annesley after 27 minutes due to injury and was unable to help his side avoid defeat in Hampshire, with Wanderers later slipping to third after a fourth successive defeat against Bath City, which Vincent missed out on due to an injury of his own. Despite this, Worthing failed to capitalise and seal the title, with goals from TJ Bramble and Hamzad Kargbo overturning Makowksi’s early opener against Maidstone United. Nadesan had come on with a little over 15 minutes to go as they fell to a first defeat in nine outings, subsequently taking the title race to the final day of the season, now with Hornchurch the side the Rebels were competing with after beating Chippenham Town.
Despite this setback though, Worthing proved to be worthy winners of the division, sealing their inaugrual promotion to the fifth tier with a 2-0 win over Ebbsfleet United thanks to goals either side of the break from Joe Cook and De-Graft. Nadesan played the final 11 minutes as the Rebels saw out the decisive three points that got them over the line, sparking wild celebrations at Woodside Park, a place that will soon host National League football for the first time.
Dorking meanwhile went the other way, and after commanding an eight-point lead at the summit not long ago, fell to fourth in the division after a 1-1 draw at Weston-super-Mare. Vincent once again missed out due to a season-ending injury, and the Wanderers will need to begin their promotion hunt again from the eliminator round, hosting Maidenhead United.
The National League South promotion race isn’t quite done yet, with Will Tizzard and Torquay United taking a big step in cementing their spot in the top seven with a 3-0 win away at Weston-super-Mare. The defender was replaced deep into stoppage time as a quickfire double from Louis Dennis put the icing on top of Matt Worthington’s opener to seal the win in Somerset, and keep them three points clear of Chesham United in eighth, before playing another 56 minutes against Bath City as goals from Reece Evans and Dylan Morgan (3) closed the gap on the top two to four points, as the Gulls bid to maintain their place in the title race.
They subsequently kept up to speed with the top two, closing in on Dorking after their defeat to Totton, with a 5-1 win away at Slough Town. Tizzard started on the bench and replaced Jordan Thomas with six minutes remaining as Dylan Morgan, Jordan Young, Deon Moore (2) and Reece Evans sealed a crucial victory on the road, before returning to the starting XI as they suffered a crucial blow against promotion rivals Hemel Hempstead Town, who leapfrogged the Gulls thanks to goals from Remaye Campbell and Mauro Vilhete.
The defender than came on with half-an-hour to go in Torquay’s season finale against Tonbridge Angels, with goals from Moore and Morgan securing a 2-1 win and a third place finish, with the Gulls set to host Dorking Wanderers or Maidenhead United in the play-off semi-final.
Photo Credit: Pinnacle Photo Agency
Maidenhead United are another side who continue to compete for their spot in the National League next season, and were denied a chance to go three points clear on Good Friday by a last gasp strike from Slough Town’s Kiki Oshilaja. Dillon De Silva returned from international duty to replace Josh Umerah midway through the second half, while Siju Odelusi followed him into the pitch ten minutes later, helping the Magpies cement their 2-1 advantage courtesy of goals from Umerah and Asher Yearwood, until Tyrese Dyce gave Slough a lifeline.
And Oshilaja struck in the eighth minute of stoppage time to deny Maidenhead the victory, but they remained inside the top seven nonetheless and extended their lead on eighth placed Chesham by a point with a 2-1 win over Hampton & Richmond Borough, a match which saw four Sutton players go head-to-head.
De Silva and Odelusi both started on the bench for the Magpies as a brace from Josh Umerah overturned Harry Gardner’s early opener to seal victory for the ten men of Maidenhead; the Sutton duo both being introduced within eight minutes of each other in the second half, contributing to the Magpies seeing out a crucial three points in Berkshire.
Maidenhead took a slight knock to their play-off hopes though with Chelmsford City holding them to a 1-1 draw; De Silva was introduced with 20 minutes remaining while Odelusi came in second half stoppage time, as a late Josh Umerah penalty rescued a point after Jack Barham had given the Clarets the advantage, before returning to winning ways against Dover Athletic to renew one last shot at securing a play-off spot with one game to go. De Silva returned to the starting XI and played 78 minutes, going close to scoring on a couple of occasions in the first half, before Ryan Bartley’s opener gave the Magpies an advantage that Odelusi helped to see out in the final stages.
Photo Credit: Zane Holmes
Ryan Peters’ side subsequently needed to better at least one of Dorking Wanderers’, Hemel Hempstead Town’s, Torquay United’s, Ebbsfleet United’s and Weston-super-Mare’s result on the final day in order to gain a play-off spot, having gone into it a point behind the Swans ahead of their clash with title-chasing Hornchurch. Both De Silva and Odelusi started on the bench before coming on with 12 minutes to go as the Magpies sealed a goalless draw in Upminster, all but sealing Worthing’s spot at champions, while succumbing Ebbsfleet as the side who slipped out the top seven to set up Maidenhead’s play-off eliminator round tie with Dorking after a seventh place finish.
Chelmsford City continued to chase their play-off spot, entering April just outside the top seven, and kicked off the month in comprehensive fashion as goals from Lyle Taylor, Archie Tamplin and Antony Papadopoulous sealed victory over Enfield Town. Kane Crichlow was introduced after 65 minutes, and later returned to the starting XI as the Clarets prepared to take on KSI’s Dagenham & Redbridge, playing out a thrilling 3-3 draw at the Chigwell Construction Stadium as Taylor gave Chelmsford an early lead which was soon cancelled out by Kayden Harrack and Aramide Oteh at either end of the second half. However, Harry Barbrook and Jett Murphy both struck even later than Oteh’s penalty to steal a point from the Daggers’ grasp, in a match which saw Crichlow replaced by Jack Barham with 25 minutes to go.
An identical swap then led Chelmsford’s opener against Maidenhead as Crichlow made it successive starts before being replaced by Barham with 73 minutes on the clock, just two minutes before the former Aldershot Town man notched the opener as Chelmsford were ultimately held to a 1-1 draw by the Magpies, before starting again as they prepared to take on highflying Hornchuch.
The Bermudan notched his third goal of the season in East London; his first since February, to add to Harry Barbrook’s opener and give the Clarets a 2-0 advantage when he ghosted in at the back post to turn home Jason Adigun’s delivery. While Hornchurch mounted a dramatic comeback, with the clash eventually ending 3-3, Crichlow was rewarded with a third successive start, playing a little over an hour as they beat Chesham United, before the Clarets fell to a 3-1 defeat against Eastbourne Borough in their last game of the season – and their first game following Mark Cooper’s unveiling as their new manager.
Having appointed the former Forest Green Rovers and Yeovil Town boss last week, Ricky Holmes maintained his position as interim boss on the final day, and oversaw a disappointing end to the campaign as quickfire goals from Kai Corbett put the Sports into the ascendancy, with Harry Barbrook’s own goal five minutes before the interval all but securing a rare taste of success for the division’s bottom-placed side, though Tristan Abrahams gave Chelmsford a glimmer of hope in the first half stoppage time. Crichlow had again been rewarded for recent run of form by ending the campaign from the off, and he played 70 minutes against former Sutton teammate Harry Phipps before being replaced by Kian Ronan in his last appearance of the season.
Photo Credit: Tiego Grenho Photography
While the bulk of Sutton players plying their trade in the National League are eying promotion, Eduino Vaz and Nana Boateng continued to battle down the other end of the table as Hampton & Richmond Borough retained their sixth tier status.
Photo Credit: Richie Luwawa
The Beavers kicked off April with a 3-1 win over Farnborough, a huge blow for the Yellows who continued to battle against relegation, while Hampton found themselves five points above their opponents, with Vaz completing the full match while Boateng was uninvolved after being named the club’s Player of the Month for March, though the former Millwall forward returned to action against Maidenhead, going head-to-head with teammates Dillon De Silva and Siju Odelusi who started on the bench for the Magpies.
Both Vaz and Boateng however began from the off at York Road, the former being replaced by Brendan Kieran on the hour-mark while the latter completed the full match, as the Beavers fell to a disappointing 2-1 defeat against the ten men of Maidenhead, with Manny Onarise seeing red after just six minutes.
They bounced back with a point though against Chippenham Town, securing safety in the National League South with Aaron Lacey rescuing a draw against the division’s bottom side. Vaz came off with 14 minutes remaining while Boateng was uninvolved, before reversing roles in their penultimate match of the season, as Vaz missed out for the first time since arriving at the Beveree Stadium while Boateng returned to the side. The forward playing the full match as they lost 4-0 at Ebbsfleet United, before ending the season with a 22-minute cameo as they bounced back to finish the campaign off with a 1-0 win over Enfield Town.
Photo Credit: Richie Luwawa
Sutton’s Academy players also ended their seasons in first team football strongly, the pick of the bunch of course being George Vorster.
The 18-year old notched two assists as Burgess Hill Town returned to winning ways after two defeats in a row, with Kaan Bennett, Chris Whelpdale and Ben Pope sealing a narrow 3-2 win over Brentwood Town, before adding a third assist in as many days to contribute to a 2-0 win over Chichester City.
They Hillians then returned to defeat at the hands of Cheshunt and then Dulwich Hamlet, with Vorster playing the full match in both, before ending the season with his 16th and 17th goals of the season respectively against Cray Wanderers.
Despite the party atmosphere at Leylands Park as Gary Mansell’s side secured the club’s best ever league finish, Ola Ogunwamide looked to dampen the mood when he struck the opener after seven minutes, but Vorster ensured the celebrations swiftly resumed when he burst in behind the Wanderers defence to put away the equaliser only two minutes later. Vorster wasn’t done however, as Jake King found him with an unbelievable diagonal pass allowing the young winger to drift past the Cray defence, shift the ball onto his left foot and pass it into the back of the net with 23 minutes on the clock, giving Burgess Hill the advantage, and set them on the way to a 4-2 win on the final day, with Kieran Rowe and King cancelling out Alex Hernandez’s leveller to put Cray to the sword before the half was even out, while Vorster put the cherry on top of a fantastic individual campaign by being named Man of the Match.
Tito Salaam returned to action after failing to appear during March, replacing Tom Vickers after 35 minutes as Hastings United kicked off April with a 2-1 defeat to Hassocks, and followed it up with a first start since February as the U’s fell to a 2-1 defeat to Ashford United at the Pilot Filed, though Salaam did complete his first full match since first arriving in Sussex, last playing 90 minutes in a 4-1 defeat against AFC Croydon Athletic back in January.
He subsequently replaced Ezekiel Williams with 18 minutes to go in a 4-2 win away at Broadbridge Heath, before being an unused substitute in a 1-1 draw with Herne Bay, with his brief appearance against Broadbridge proving to be his last of the season as was involved across the ocean, with Hastings losing 3-0 away at Jersey Bulls.
Ned Hepburn produced two contributions for Grays Athletic as the Blues beat Brightlingsea Regent to win a 2-0 on Good Friday.
The forward sent a dangerous free kick into the box that Gabriel Chapps tucked home after getting the ball under control to give Paul Joynes’ side an early lead, with Hepburn sealing the victory with three minutes remaining when he showed some neat skill to brilliantly beat his man before firing his effort inside the near post.
He subsequently maintained his place in the starting XI as the Blues fell to a 1-0 defeat against Tilbury; Hepburn being replaced after 73 minutes, before playing the full match as they beat Concord Rangers 1-0 and later another 71 minutes as they lost 2-1 at home to Lowestoft Town.
Hepburn went on to end the season away at Gorleston, being replaced by Aron Gordon with eight minutes to go as he played the bulk of the Blues’ 3-1 defeat in Great Yarmouth.
