Sutton & Epsom kept their hopes of surviving in National Division Three London & South East with a 34-19 victory over Portsmouth at Rugby Lane on Saturday.

Sutton control most of the game against a powerful and clever Portsmouth side who, at times, showed excellent off-loading skills.

Solid defence from Sutton was breached just once and the hosts were dominant up front, putting Portsmouth under pressure in tight scrums and making useful yardage with effective rolling maul.

Sutton started at a tremendous pace, pinning the visitors into their own 22 for the opening 15 minutes. The pressure was eventually rewarded when the pack rumbled forward from a 5m line-out and feisty hooker Sean Kent sneaked over. Fly-half Steve Munford converted to make it 7-0.

Portsmouth’s deficit was reduced within three minutes when their fly-half James McSeveny kicked a penalty.

Then, Sutton lost control and the Hampshire side showed lovely handling skills to set up centre Matt Gronow for a score wide on the left. McSeveny’s conversion gave Portsmouth a 10-7 lead.

The hosts then knuckled down and scrum-half Frankie Murray quickly took a penalty 5m out, finding lock Richard Nicholls, who was driven over to the right of the posts. Skipper Munford converted.

Then, a powerful break by Sutton flanker Scott Wallbank saw him make 40m before passing inside to flying wing Colin Richens, who committed the last defender and passed inside for Munford to outpace the defence and touch down wide on the right. He converted his own try.

Right on half time, McSeveny kicked a penalty for Portsmouth, who turned around 21-13 behind.

The visitors pinned Sutton deep in their half after the restart and two more McSeveny penalties reduced Sutton’s lead to two points.

Sutton then changed up a gear and Munford steadied things with a 30m penalty before the Sutton pack combining well with the backs rumbled the ball towards the Portsmouth line and young hard-working flanker Ian White scored a well deserved bonus point earning try in the corner.

Portsmouth came back at Sutton, aided in this by the hosts’ tendency to kick possession away, but Sutton’s defence was rock solid.

In the seventh minute of injury time, Munford kicked a long clearance which found touch 5m from the Portsmouth line.

The Portsmouth lineout jumper flapped the ball back to empty space and the ever alert Kent shot through the line picked up and scored wide on the right.

The conversion attempt, the last kick of the game, was missed but Sutton had five valuable points which moved them up one place in the league and gave them a slight mathematical chance to stave off relegation.

Sutton host Diss on Easter Saturday and Diss on April 10, needing to win both 3pm kick offs to stay in the division.

* Before the match, Sutton celebrated the 90th birthday of supporter Hugh Agnew, grandfather of injured full-back Keith Middleton.