RESURGENT U’S LAUNCH A STIRRING COMEBACK

SUTTON UNITED 4 Kearney 51, Dobson 63 (pen), Beckwith 86, 90 GATESHEAD 2 Olley 44, 46

PAUL DOSWELL hailed the character of his Sutton United as they came from two goals down to take a vital victory over play-offchasing rivals Gateshead.

Sutton’s recent poor run of form seemed to be continuing as the Heed moved into a two goal lead early in the second half.

But the home side stormed back, scoring four goals for the first time this season in a sterling second half performance that could reignite their play-off challenge.

Doswell said: “At 2-0 down I thought we were in trouble but the lads showed great character to come back and the way we turned it round in the second half was a tremendous effort and produced the sort of game that you are in football for.”

Opposing number Ben Clark had no complaints. “The lads felt hard done by with the penalty but I thought Sutton were the better side in the second half,” he said. “We didn’t react well to conceding the first goal and in the end they deserved their victory.”

In a game where the wind always seemed to be a factor it was unusual that five of the six goals were scored against the conditions, and it was Gateshead, playing into the wind in the first half, who might have scored three times in the first 15 minutes as Ross Worner saved well from Connor Thomson, Jon Mellish scored just wide and Tom White saw his shot come back off the post.

Starting a National League game for the first time, Dylan Kearney twice went close for Sutton, but Gateshead deserved their lead given to them a minute before half-time by Greg Olley, who tapped in Thomson’s cross. When Olley, who will meet up with the England C squad today along with teammates Jon Mellish and Tom White, went through a minute into the second half to drive a long shot beyond Worner, but his miserable run of form looked unlikely to end, and had the same player not seen the ball run just wide of the post moments later after chipping the on-rushing Worner there might have been no way back for Us. However Kearney then headed in a cross from James Dobson, who influenced everything that was good about Sutton in the first half and equalised from the penalty spot after Scott Barrow had been harshly adjudged to have handled Ruairi Beacon’s shot.

Kearney headed just wide from a Dobson cross as the force was with Sutton, but they were also indebted to Worner for two fine saves from Olley and White to keep them on level terms.

The turnaround was complete four minutes from time when captain for the day Dean Beckwith headed his first goal of the season from Dobson’s corner and the defender produced another towering header from a Beautyman corner three minutes later to clinch the points.

STAR MAN: James Dobson (Sutton) ATT: 1,722 ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★ REFEREE: Richard Hulme 6/10