Horsham 1 Sutton United 0

The Horsham striker had been responsible for putting U's out of the Ryman League Cup last season, scoring a hat trick in their 3-2 win, and his volley twelve minutes before half time was enough to separate the sides in an untidy and disjointed game that would probably have been well reflected had the scoreline remained blank.

Referee Carl Brook, who last season had produced his yellow card eleven times in U's home win against Margate, matched that total again here and while the majority of the bookings could probably be justified the frequent stoppages stifled any chance the game had of flowing.

U's best spell came in the first five minutes, when they were to rue squandering two chances which proved to be their best of the night.

Firstly Sam Gargan timed his run on to a through ball superbly but then mis-hit his shot to allow Rob Tolfrey to save, and then a good move ended with Gargan's knock-down finding Bentley Graham in space on the right of the penalty area, but his attempt to squeeze a shot insode the near post saw the ball fly over the bar when a pull-back across the six yard line seemed the better option with players waiting for what could have been a tap-in.

The start suggested that U's could carry on where they had left off against Margate, but they could not keep the momentum going and the home side, returning to their home town after a year's exile at Worthing, came more in to a game in which Mr Brook became the dominant figure as he booked Ben Andrews for a foul on Matt Hann and then the Horsham pair of Jack Page and Lee Carney, both for dissent.

Andrews caused U's defence problems with one low cross which Sonny Cobbs had to turn away from inside the six yard box, but the decisive moment then came as U's cleared a free kick from the left, but only as far as the edge of the penalty area and Seanla reacted quickest to smash a low volley past the helpless Kevin Scriven.

Despite having all three of their substitutes on with more than twenty minutes to go U's found it difficult to make any impression in the second half, with the few promising moves that they did manage finishing with the ball going too close to Tolfrey.

Gargan climbed well to win one header but put it straight at the keeper when had he managed to knock it back across goal Stefan Payne and Jason Goodliffe were both waiting, while Danny Phillips ended one jinking run with an effort that was neither cross or shot and was again dealt with comfortably.

Apart from one shot by Russell Eldridge that was saved by Scriven to his right there was little threat at the other end either in a dreadful second half that was, again, increasingly dominated by the referee's whistle and accompanying yellow card, with Horsham coach Mark Hawthorne joining the disciplinary list as he was sent from the bench for a comment he made to Mr Brook.

Sutton: K Scriven, B Hawes, A Bray, J Goodliffe, K El-Salahi, B Graham(sub A Joseph 54), M Hann (sub B Woods-Garness 54), K Beaney, S Payne (sub D Phillips 68), S Gargan, S Cobbs. Subs n/u J Roberts, B Chattaway. Booked: Goodliffe(49-foul), Cobbs(61-foul), Gargan(69-persistent infringement), Joseph(88-foul).

Horsham: R Tolfrey, J Page, M Knee, A Achampong, S Page, L Carney, R Eldridge, G Charman, B Andrews, C Seanla, A Haddow. Subs n/u I Payne, J Lyons, J Nicholls, S Davies, P Seuke. Goal: Seanla(33). Booked: Andrewws(25-foul), J Page(28-dissent), Carney(31-dissent), Haddow(63-dissemt), Achampong(72-foul), Seanla(74-foul), Tolfrey(89-time wasting).

Referee: C Brook (St Leonards) Attendance: 441 Sutton are away again on Saturday when they play Hendon, who as in the second half of last season, are playing home games at Wembley FC's Vale Farm ground. The North London side have begun with two wins this season, away to Bognor on Saturday and at home to Billericay on Tuesday, and have yet to concede a goal. On Tuesday U's are at home to Canvey Island, kick off 7.45pm.

Sutton's reserves have a home game on Saturday against Bedfont Green, kick off 3pm.