Struggling Sutton & Epsom were unlucky not to get any reward from their best National Three performance of the season against a well-drilled Bracknell side on Saturday.

Against opposition who not long ago were in National Division One, the fully amateur Sutton side were unlucky not to claim a losing bonus point when a very difficult conversion attempt right at the end went just wide.

Sutton’s tight scrum had the beating of Bracknell’s, Sutton’s lineout worked superbly with lock Richard Nicholls, flanker Felix Symonds and No8 Simon Hough securing their ball.

Bracknell’s back row edged Sutton’s in open play turning Sutton over several times and when they ran the ball the Bracknell back line, led by their former Halifax fly Half Jervis Manupenu, coming onto the ball at pace, off loading always with players in support, looked lethal but Sutton defended with excellent organisation and courage.

Sutton took the game to the visitors early on but Bracknell saw this off and came back at Sutton their backs running superb lines.

Sutton defended well though and Bracknell were forced to settle for a penalty from Manupenu to open the scoring.

From the kick off Bracknell poured forward throwing the ball around confident it would always find a pair of Bracknell hands but after stringing maybe 20 passes together in one attack suddenly the ball went to Sutton hands when the ever sharp Andy Nicholl intercepted on the Sutton 10m line and ran in under the posts.

Sutton’s 39-year-old fly half Sam Frost kicked the conversion and Sutton led 7-3 - that was definitely not in Bracknell’s script.

The visitors roared back and eventually created an overlap on their right and their number eight Nico Maybury squeezed in at the corner.

Manupenu converted to restore their three-point lead.

Sutton battled their way back into the game, fiery hooker James Bennett at the fore and, following a superb break by their number eight Simon Hough, Frost kicked a penalty to level the scores 10-10 at half time.

Bracknell came out all guns blazing in the second half and Phil Astbury scooped up a loose ball, twisted out of a tackle and showed great acceleration to score in the corner. Manupenu again converted.

Frost kicked a penalty for Sutton shortly after this but Bracknell soon stretched their lead when following a lineout 7m out, their pack drove over for hooker Matt Surman to get the try.

Again Manupenu converted. Things went from bad to worse for Sutton shortly after when Bracknells scrum half Dan ap Dafydd slipped in at the corner for an unconverted try.

Sutton could easily have surrendered at this stage but they stuck at it.

Flanker Ian White, who had already made several breaks but found no support, broke again from deep inside his own half he made the Bracknell 10m line passed inside to the veteran prop Graham Hill, who moved the ball quickly to Andy Nicholl he stepped inside the full back and scored under the posts. Frost converted.

Bracknell surged forward determined to avenge this and were awarded a free kick 10m from Sutton’s line.

They took it quickly but the ball went loose, their winger Oliver Jordan reacted quicker than anyone scooped the ball up and scored in the corner. The conversion went wide.

Sutton refused to surrender and, following a line-out 5m out, the pack drove over for Richard Nicholls to score, but the conversion attempt went just wide.

Sutton visit fellow strugglers Portsmouth on Saturday (2.15pm).