Sutton & Epsom RFC 17 Dover RFC 24.

With Matt Whitacker back in the side but playing outside centre instead of his customary No 8 position, Sutton looked a much better side in this London One South match at Rugby Lane on Saturday but a second-half lapse of concentration handed the match to Dover, who won 24-17.

Sutton started with huge aggression especially in defence and for the opening 20 minutes were the better side, the backs looking sharper and quicker than the visitors, full back Kevin Richens, in this correspondents view had the best game he has ever played for Sutton.

The game see-sawed for nearly half an hour until on 28 minutes against the run of play Dover took the lead with a penalty in front of the posts from wing Jeff Phillips.

They did not hold this lead for long, Sutton pinned them back against their own posts creating huge pressure on the right before switching play across to the left where wing Lyndon Burrell using all his strength broke two tackles to score in the corner. After this Sutton seemed to have control for the remainder of the half and turned round at half time 5-3 up.

After the break Dover changed their tactics moving up fast to prevent Sutton’s most destructive player Whitacker from getting the ball.

Their scrum also began to dominate Sutton’s and errors, forced and unforced, crept into the Sutton play.

Eventually, Dover’s powerful wing Kurt Jager scored on the overlap midway to the posts. Phillips converted.

Sutton began to panic and make mistakes which Dover were very quick to pounce on, leading to their second try scored by wing Richard Hayward. Again Phillips converted.

Dover scored again within minutes, cutting the Sutton defence apart they put their full back Ben Sedgwick over to the right of the posts. Phillips again converted.

Sutton stunned but as yet unbowed powered back and following an incredible charge up the right wing by 18yrs old Hooker Ed Payne scattering Dover players all around, the ball went left to the sides senior player, flanker Felix Symonds, who dished out more of the same to force his way in from 25 metres.

The conversion went astray but Sutton now had their tails up and with only a minute to go Burrell crossed for his second try this time under the posts. Murray converted to bring Sutton into losing bonus territory but the clock beat them getting on level scores.

On Saturday Sutton are away at league Leaders Chichester who may just get a surprise.