Despite showing real fighting spirit in the second half, Sutton & Epsom were unable to make amends for the three soft tries they conceded in Saturday’s National Three London clash at Rugby Lane.

It took Bishop’s Stortford just two minutes to score their first try. Stortford won the ball from a 5m line-out and lock Hamish Irving careered through a gap to score midway next to the posts. Fly-half Tom Coleman converted.

Ten minutes later, full-back James Rea burst through a yawning gap and touched down next to the posts. Coleman’s conversion made it 14-0 and a rout looked on the cards.

Steadied by skipper Steve Munford, and with wing Lyndon Burrell and full-back Colin Richens also making threatening breaks, Sutton began to drive the visitors back only for the last pass to regularly go astray.

Munford’s penalty eventually got Sutton on the scoreboard but disaster struck on the stroke of half-time. They lost possession in the Stortford 10m line and flanker Dave Aldam burst forward before offloading for Rea to go in wide on the right, giving the visitors a 19-3 half-time lead.

Sutton began to build up pressure in the second half and, after the Stortford scrum-half was yellow carded, Munford kicked a 40m penalty.

Then a rolling maul 5m out saw flanker Ian White drive in midway to the posts and Munford’s conversion left Sutton just six points behind.

A great drive upfield by the visitors pack led to a Coleman penalty which restored their advantage to nine points.

Shortly after, Stortford lost Rea to the sin bin and were down to 13 men and Munford’s penalty made it 16-22.

But the visitors then rumbledo the ball through their forwards, running the clock down until they were restored to 15 men.

And, with their final attack of the match, Coleman kicked his third penalty to deprive Sutton of even a losing bonus point.

Sutton visit fourth-placed Bracknell on Saturday before a final run-in of home games with Portsmouth on March 27, Diss on April 3 and North Walsham on April 10.