Sutton became the latest victims of Dartford's powerful start to the Ryman League campaign as the Kent side made it eight wins from nine games on Tuesday night.
After an even first half of excellent quality from both sides, Dartford scored three times in the second period to give the game a scoreline that was desperately harsh on Sutton, who even after their former striker Rob Haworth had put the visitors in front eleven minutes after the break had every chance of getting something from the game.
They seemed hugely unlucky to see a Stefan Payne goal that would have brought them level ruled out for offside before a Billy Hawes own goal and a controversial second from Haworth rubbed salt in the wounds.
The first half saw both sides playing at a good tempo with no little skill, with Dartford striker Allan Tait, deputising for injured leading scorer Lee Burns, sending an early chance over and then a quick counter attack ending with Haworth volleying acrobatically wide, but U's also put together one fine move which saw Sonny Cobbs fire in a twenty yard shot that goalkeeper Andrew Young had to save at full stretch.
Both sides struck woodwork late in the half, Adam Gross's cross from the left being diverted against his own bar by Cobbs, and at the other end Alan Bray meeting a left wing corner with a powerful header that also smacked back off the bar.
As well as good football, there was plenty of spark in the game and referee Neil West struggled for control, although his final yellow card count of ten seemed excessive – Sam Gargan and visiting skipper Adam Flanagan were booked for what seemed an innocuous clash just before the break after Steve McKimm had also been booked for a foul.
Sutton started the second half brightly and it was against the run of play that Dartford took the lead when a long throw from Billy Burgess was met by a fine header from Jamie Coyle which bounced down off the crossbar for Haworth to bundle home.
Even then U's might have equalised immediately as a corner was cleared to Gargan, and his volleyed cross flashed across goal with Jason Goodliffe unable to direct his header in to the net.
Moments later Payne thought he had brought U's level as he raced on to a pass and drilled a shot past Young only to find assistant Michael Smith's flag raised, quite possibly against Matt Hann who played no part in the move as Payne seemed to go past a defender to reach the pass.
Instead of being level, U's were soon two down as Ryan Hayes, a threat all evening on the right, crossed to the far post and Hawes could only watch in horror as the ball bounced off him in to the net, and nine minutes later a similar approach from Hayes this time produced a deeper cross met by a diving Haworth, and although Kevin Scriven was down to make a fine save on the line assistant Graham Atkins signalled that he had failed to keep the ball out despite Scriven's protests.
That ended the game as a contest as Dartford easily closed out victory, but there was still time for Mr West to take his bookings count to double figures as Payne's slightly late challenge on Young provoked a reaction which led to both players being booked and Burgess lucky to escape a similar fate.
Sutton: K Scriven, B Hawes, A Bray, J Goodliffe, B Thomas, S Cobbs, M Hann, D Phillips, S Payne(sub S Cox 81), S Gargan(sub B Dunn 63) S McKimm (sub B Woods-Garness 68). Subs n/u J Hawes, K El-Salahi Booked: McKimm(39-persistent infringement), Gargan(39-unsporting behaviour), B Hawes(54-foul), Cobbs(60-unsporting behaviour), Payne(81-foul).
Dartford: A Young, B Burgess, A Gross, A Flanagan, J Coyle, J White(sub L Noble H-T), R Hayes(sub J Beales 79), J Day, R Haworth(sub J May 79), A Tait, E Bradbrook Subs n/u T Kessell Goals: Haworth(56,75), B Hawes og (66)
Booked: Flanagan(39-unsporting behaviour), Bradbrook(47-foul), Day(60-unsporting behaviour), Tait(63-dissent), Young(81-unsporting behaviour)
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