Sutton have the Vanarama National League South championship within touching distance after overcoming nearest challengers Ebbsfleet to move three points clear at the top of the table.
Arguably Sutton's most significant league victory since the 4-1 win at Aylesbury in April 1999, in front of a bumper 3,000 plus crowd, it means that one more win from their last two games will guarantee the championship and National League football next season regardless of any off-field issues.
The early stages saw U's begin uncertainly, and inside the first firteen minutes Worner needed to make reassuring, if routine, saves from Sean Shields and Matt Godden, who also hit a snap shot just over the bar, while penalty appeals were turned aside when Jon-Paul Kissock went over under a Jamie Collins challenge.
At the other end Nathan Ashmore had to go full stretch to turn aside a deflected shot from Bedsente Gomis, fit enough to play a significant role after his injury at Margate, and as U's grew in to the game Collins sent a free kick just wide. The breakthrough came in the 25th minute, instigated by a perceptive pass from Nicky Bailey that freed Tom Bolarinwa on the right, and his low cross to the near post found Fitchett beating Ashmore to lift the ball in to the net and become the first player since Danny Bolt in 2000-01 to score 20 league goals in a season for the club.
With the upper hand gained, U's continued to press for the rest of the half and in stoppage time Ross Stearn was impeded by a combination of Tom Bonner and Bryan van den Bogaert as he tried to run on to a Gomis pass. Referee Adrian Quelch decided it merited a penalty and Gomis, who had been sent off in the meeting at Stonebridge Road in September, gained redemption with a confident spot kick in front of the Ebbsfleet supporters, who may have been grateful that he hadn't revealed his penalty taking abilities prior to that game.
U's might have had another penalty early in the second half when Gomis seemed to be tripped, while Ebbsfleet had one early opportunity to get back in to the game when Danny Kedwell's downward header was saved by Worner, but in a half of few clear chances it was Sutton who had the best when Ashmore misjudged a chipped cross from Bailey and Fitchett headed over an open goal. With U's back line holding firm, Collins giving a superb captain's performance, Ebbsfleet showed little sign of being able to mount a comeback, and when Jordan Parkes, as quiet as he has ever been in a game against Sutton, did find a shooting chance it was well dealt with by Worner.
U's lost the injured Kevin Amankwaah, whose season would have in all probability ended anyway after this game due to his suspension after being sent off at Maidstone, but they should have had a chance of a third goal when a dashing run by Bolarinwa was ended illegally on the edge of the penalty area. The ball ran loose to Fitchett, with the referee waving play on as an advantage but then controversially giving the free kickto Ebbsfleet when Fitchett was flagged offside. It made little difference to the outcome, though, and the final whistle brought huge celebration from U's fans who know that the title is now so close.
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