Sutton suffered a second consecutive defeat as Gillingham claimed a third win out of three to take over at the top of the embryonic Sky Bet League Two table. A tight game was decided in the 10th minute when Gillingham capitalised on a defensive error, and although Sutton had stages of putting the visitors’ defence under pressure, the equaliser wouldn’t come as Gillingham finished the game still to concede a league goal this season.

Former Gillingham striker Scott Kashket was fit to return up front, partnering Lee Angol as Harry Smith began his three game ban after being sent off at Barrow, but in the early stages U’s found it difficult to make any impression on a solid Gillingham defence as the visitors started the better, and the decisive goal soon came. Omar Sowunmi lost possession to Tom Nichols, who raced clear and crossed low for his former Crawley team mate Ashley Nadesan, whose crisp first time finish gave Jack Rose no chance.

Sowunmi came close to atoning for his error when Harry Beautyman’s cross dropped for him six yards out, but his looping volley was cleared off the line by Scott Malone, and Sutton came close again when both Angol and Kashket had efforts blocked in a goalmouth scramble before goalkeeper Jake Turner dropped on the ball. There was still threat at the other end, though, and after George Lapslie had whipped a cross shot just wide of the far post U’s nearly gave away a second as Nadesan dispossessed Ben Goodliffe and sent Nichols away, but when he passed inside to Dom Jeffries Sowunmi was well placed to divert the resulting shot away for a corner.

U’s kept pressing in the second half, and would not have been flattered by an equaliser, but Kashket remained out of luck against his former club as he netted from Angol’s knock down following a long Joe Kizzi throw only to be flagged offside, and then after Sutton’s best move of the game had seen Omari Patrick finish a strong run with a pass to the overlapping Rob Milsom, Kashket’s volley from the resulting cross was too close to Turner, who saved relatively comfortably.

There were several more penalty area skirmishes, and Turner was much the busier goalkeeper as Rose had little to do in the second half, but Gillingham’s defence remained resolute and were able to celebrate a third consecutive 1-0 success in the league.

Sutton: J Rose, J Kizzi, R Milsom, O Sowunmi, B Goodliffe, C Eastmond, C Clay(sub C N’Guessan 85), S Kashket (sub H Kasimu 74),L Angol(sub L John 85), H Beautyman(sub J Coley 65), O Patrick. Subs n/u B House, T Fadahunsi, D Mellor. Booked: Angol, Milsom

Gillingham: J Turner, C Alexander, S Malone, S Ogie, M Ehmer, E Coleman, G Lapslie(sub J Clarke 80), T Dieng, T Nichols(sub J Williams 80), A Nadesan(sub M Bonne 80), D Jeffries (sub C Masterton 86). Subs n/u G Morris, M Clark, R McKenzie. Booked: Coleman

Referee: Scott Tallis

Attendance: 3,714(1,290 away)