SUTTON U 3 GATESHEAD 0

SUTTON eased any lingering fears of being dragged into a relegation scrap, and ended Gateshead’s outside chance of snatching a play-off place, with a comfortable victory.

Until Roarie Deacon’s penalty three minutes before half time, though, there had been little between the sides and Gateshead had if anything shaded the first half after an early Maxime Biamou shot had gone just wide.

Mitch Brundle was unable to turn the ball in at the far post after home goalkeeper Will Puddy had failed to deal with an awkward low cross from JJ O’Donnell, and Paddy McLaughlin sent a 25-yard shot just too high.

But the game turned when Biamou was tripped by goalkeeper Dan Hanford as he ran on to a pass from Craig Eastmond, and after the keeper had been booked Deacon sent him the wrong way from the spot. Gateshead began the second half strongly but were still unable to test Puddy, and the U’s took a firmer grip on the hour when Nicky Bailey’s cross from the left fell for Biamou to fire a shot on the turn past Hanford. With seven minutes to go a long pass forward from Dean Beckwith saw substitute Craig Dundas square across goal to give Biamou a simple finish. Sutton manager Paul Doswell said: “We’ve beaten a good Gateshead side who still had a chance of the play-offs.” Opposite number Neil Aspin said: “We defended poorly and it summed up the way we’ve played over the last four games.”