Sutton & Epsom’s inability to break down opposition defences was highlighted in a fourth straight London One defeat on Saturday.

Time and again players made useful breaks only to run into contact without support.

Sutton’s pack was on top in the tight scrums while lock Felix Symonds was involved in everything good Sutton did, including scoring a try the only time that the visitors created an overlap.

At the tender age of 18, fly-half Matt Witcomb made the step up from Sutton’s youth sides with an assured performance.

But the inability of putting out a settled side must be desperately frustrating for coach Jeff Parsons.

Sutton took the game to the home side early on but despite their pack shunting Chichester back at a rate of knots, their tendency to give away far too many penalties allowed Chichester to keep them on the back foot.

The Sussex side had some very clever moves around the lineout and from one of these ten metres out with the aid of some clever blocking their captain fast and powerful number 8 Moses Kasujja shot around the blindside to score an unconverted try close to the posts.

Minutes later from yet another ingenious lineout move they split Sutton’s defence and their pack drove hooker Rob Lawrence over wide on the left.

Fly half Richard Deed converted to give the home side a 12-0 lead.

Sutton bounced back from these early blows and for some time pinned Chichester deep in the home sides half but when they lost possession just the Chichester side of half-way Chichester’s hooker Lawrence broke through two weak tackles gave the ball to huge lock Nick Blount who showed great speed to score wide on right. Deed converted.

Sutton still refused to lie down and with their best attack of the half Symonds came within a metre of a try only to be tackled into touch. At the break Chichester led 19-0 Sutton with Symonds, playing like a man possessed, at the fore dominated the first 15 minutes of the second half but seemed always to lack the ability to create the space to score.

Eventually though in a move begun by Symonds they created an overlap on the left and Symonds came onto the ball at pace took an inside pass, dummied outside and trotted through a huge gap to score under the posts. Witcomb converted.

Chichester stung by this turned up the wick and it was Sutton’s turn to be under pressure, first full back Richard Adam kicked a penalty for the home side then following a scrum on Sutton’s 22 Chichester spun the ball wide and centre Jack Smallman juggling the ball managed to hold on to score an unconverted try wide on the left.

Sutton pressed forward doggedly but a clever chip out of defence by Deed was collected by flanker Andy Gray a mix up between two Sutton defenders saw wing Ed Armagh shown a clear road to the line which he took with alacrity to score just to the right of the posts. Adams converted for Chichester to take the maximum points from the game.

Sutton look for their first win of the season against fellow strugglers Thanet Wanderers on Saturday (3pm).