Sutton suffered a narrow defeat in Saturday morning’s EFL Youth Alliance game at Beechings Cross, unable to recover from conceding an early goal despite a much improved performance in the second half.

The game’s decisive moment came in the 7th minute when a good cross from the left was met at the far post with a diving header that squeezed in between Klevis Muca and his near post, but there was another key incident soon afterwards as Taylor Boon ran on to a long pass from Muca and was wiped out by a challenge from the Gillingham goalkeeper outside the penalty area. It seemed a goalscoring opportunity, while the contact with Boon’s chest caused the Sutton player to be substituted at half time, but the referee opted to just show a yellow card and to rub salt in to Sutton’s wounds the goalkeeper then made a good save low to his left to keep out the resulting free kick from Ronny Ruiz.

Muca also needed lengthy treatment in the first half after diving bravely at a home forward’s feet, but recovered to make an excellent save just before half time, tipping over a shot from the edge of the penalty area that was dipping under the angle of post and bar.

The game continued to be closely fought in the second half, with Muca showing no ill effects from his first half knock by dealing well with several shots from outside the penalty area, while a shot from twenty yards out on the left went just wide and another close range shot was high over the bar. Bobby Sheargold had Sutton’s best effort when he followed a jinking run with a shot that was saved by the home keeper at full stretch, while near the end substitute Rashaad Drysdale was denied by a good challenge in the penalty area just as he seemed set to score. However the equaliser proved elusive and Gillingham held on for the victory.

Sutton: K Muca, T Boon(sub C Lee H-T)(sub D Ashia 69), G Katana, J Coombes, B San-Norton, H Boateng, T Bamidele(sub R Drysdale 74), L Ginger(sub O Bello 74), J Fennelow(sub K McKenzie 69), B Sheargold, R Ruiz.

It’s a big week for the team in the National League Academy South Division, with a league game against Oxford City on Monday at Leatherhead Youth FC, kick off 2pm, and the Academy Cup semi final away to Slough Town at Arbour Park on Wednesday, kick off 7pm. The winners of Monday’s game will go top of the table, with Southend staying top if it’s a draw, while the reward for the team that comes out on top on Wednesday is a place in the Academy Cup final against FC Halifax Town at St Georges Park on 20th May.