Sutton & Epsom were left frustrated after a National Division Three match in which they enjoyed huge pressure on the visitors’ line on Saturday.

They also missed out on a bonus point when, awarded a penalty in front of the posts with four minutes left, they instead went for the try only for frantic Basingstoke defence to keep them out.

The visitors were six points ahead after seven minutes thanks to two penalties from full-back Andrew Fitchett.

The game then ebbed and flowed for 20 minutes when the referee became the busiest man on the pitch awarding three yellow cards within a five-minute period.

First Sutton’s flanker Felix Symonds was sent to the sin bin - Fitchett kicking his third penalty as a result.

Symonds’ sending off was followed a couple of minutes later by Basingstoke’s flanker Neil Posthumous and, two minutes after that, Basingstoke’s wing Glen Lewis went for a ten minute rest.

Following Lewis’ sending off Sutton won a scrum 5m out and drove for the line with prop Sean Kent getting the touch down. Fly Half Frankie Murray converted and at half time Basingstoke led 9-7.

Three minutes into the second half, with Basingstoke still a man short, Symonds and Posthumous both having rejoined, Basingstoke won a lineout just over halfway.

Sutton came up on the blitz defence but one player was slow to react leaving a dog leg.

Basingstoke’s centre Rory Greenslade-Jones charged through the gap, his pack followed up and prop Simon Lovegrove scored next to the posts. Fitchett converted to stretch the visitors’ lead.

Within two minutes Basingstoke went further ahead when, from another lineout, wing Tom Gray cut inside and running a beautiful angle slid through Sutton’s defence to score in the corner. The conversion was missed.

To their credit, Sutton ploughed straight back and, following a long period of pressure stoutly defended by Basingstoke, a long double miss pass from scrum half Steve Munford found replacement flanker Chris pointing out on the left wing.

He had enough strength to scramble over for a try in the corner. This went unconverted.

For the remainder of the match it was one way traffic with Sutton hammering at the visitors line but frantic Basingstoke defence kept them out.

There was no such problem for Sutton’s second team the ‘Swallows’ who pummelled Basingstoke 2nds 52-10.

Next Saturday, Sutton travel to Jersey for their next league match and the following Saturday sees a re-run of last season’s Surrey Cup Final with newly promoted and so far unbeaten Dorking coming to Rugby Lane, kick off 3pm.