Sutton & Epsom’s home defeat by Old Albanians highlighted the gulf between the top two sides in National Three London and the rest on Saturday morning.

The bad news is that, having been beaten 31-7 by Albanians last weekend, they host league leaders Jersey this Saturday (2.30pm).

Although Sutton did well to frustrate the Hertfordshire side for long periods, they lacked the penetration to match Albanians’ attack.

In the opening minute, Albanians’ scrum-half scored behind the posts and Richard Gregg’s conversion left Sutton 7-0 behind.

Then, after nine minutes, Gregg’s kick ahead was poorly dealth with and an attempt to hack the ball into touch rebounded off a charging Albanians player allowing wing Chris May to touch down. Gregg’s conversion left Sutton in a desperate state.

However they dug deep and, even when a yellow card left them down to 14 men, defended like tigers.

Scrum-half Lyndon Burrell, flanker Scott Wallbank, hooker James Bennett and prop Sean Kent were all to the fore with charges down-field, but Albanians denied them a score and led 14-0 at the break.

The second half stated with OAs battering at Sutton’s obstinate defence until a lack of concentration allowed Gregg to break free on the 10m line and score in the corner.

Sutton dug deep again and, despite OAs throwing everything at them, held out for the next 20 minutes.

But the visitors finally broke through again from a 5m scrum when their extra two-stones per man in the pack told with the ball squiring out for lock Alex Bennett to touch down. Gregg converted.

Fiv eminutes later, winger Eddie Panting seemed to take the ball on the wrong side of a maul and ran clear to score an unconverted try.

Sutton took control in the final 10 minutes with number eight Simon Hough making several powerful charges up-field.

They were eventually rewarded with a try when the forwards drove Sean Kent in wide on the right, captain Steve Munford adding the conversion.

The match was superbly refereed by Sarah Corrigan, the Australian who in 2007 becamse the first woman to referee a full men’s international. She will referee three games in the women’s rugby world cup this year.

With bottom placed Tring beating Dorking, Sutton are now placed bottom one point behind Tring and Haywards Heath with 10 matches to go.