Sutton suffered a second EFL Youth Alliance defeat in the space of four days despite taking the lead inside the first fifteen minutes. Gillingham levelled before half time and then took a grip on the game with two goals in two minutes early in the second half to complete the double over U’s this season having won by the only goal in Kent three weeks ago.
Sutton went ahead in the 13th minute with a fine goal, Jayden Keteku receiving a neat lay-off from Kai McKenzie and playing a pass through to James Fennelow on the right of the penalty area, and Fennelow cracked a shot across the goalkeeper and inside the far post for his second goal in as many games.
The impressive Sullivan Booth sent a powerful shot just over from twenty yards, and was also off target with an acrobatic volley from a corner, but the visitors did find an equaliser seven minutes before half time when a cut back from the right ran through to Kelly Adams who drilled a shot low in to the net.
The start of the second half proved decisive as Booth gave Gillingham the lead eight minutes after the break, finding space just outside the penalty area and this time getting his low shot on target, and two minutes later Michael Luxton beat Callum Lee to a through ball and comfortably beat Klevis Muca.
Sutton should have immediately reduced the arrears as substitute Omotolani Bello sent a weak shot at the keeper when in a good position, and then Bobby Sheargold produced a similarly disappointing finish after a nice link up with Derrell Ashia, the goalkeeper again able to save easily and then also comfortably dealing with Fennelow’s shot when the ball was played back in to the penalty area. Fennelow also went close with a free kick that curled inches wide in stoppage time, but Gillingham had enough in hand to see out the victory.
Sutton: K Muca, B San Norton, L Ashburn(sub G Katana H-T), D Ashia, A Reeves, C Lee, L Ginger(sub T Boon 48), B Sheargold(sub T Bamidele 69), K McKenzie(sub E Yohannes 55), J Keteku(sub O Bello 55), J Fennelow.
Sutton return to the quest for the National League Academy South title on Wednesday with a home game against Eastleigh, the first of nine games in that competition in little more than a month. The game is at Leatherhead Youth FC, kick off 12 noon. U’s will go in to the game a point behind leaders Dartford with two games in hand.
