Despite enjoying nearly 60% possession Altrincham were unable to recover from an error by keeper Evans which led to the only goal of the match at the end of the ninth minute.

Evans played a ball out to Hinchy, on the edge of the box, and the midfielder returned it safely to the keeper who then kicked the ball straight to Sutton's Babalola. He played the ball to his left, from where Ogbonna slotted a low shot into the net.

For all their possession Alty mustered just one shot on target and looked toothless despite flashes of decent approach play.

SCORERS:

• 9 mins: David OGBONNA (Sutton United 1 Altrincham 0)

REFEREE: Mr George Laflin who had not previously refereeed Altrincham .

ATTENDANCE: 1,807

TEAM NEWS:

Charlie Olson (hamstring), Eddie Jones (hamstring), Owen German (ruptured achilles), Kahrel Reddin (contact injury) and Kristian Dennis (unspecified injury) all missed the previous week's home defeat by Southend United as well as this match.

In addition, Sam Barnes was again suspended (as well as now being injured) and, today, he was joined on the unavailabilty list by Matty Kosylo who had seen red against the Shrimpers last week. Goalkeeper Owen Evans had been unable to complete Saturday's match through injury but he was fit to start today.

Jimmy Knowles dropped to the bench as he too had suffered an injury, so with him and Kosylo not available to start, into the eleven came Jack Hinchy and new loan signing, centre-back Reuben Lopata-White.

Weaver was starting a second successive league match for only the third time in his Altrincham career.

Sutton also made two changes as Folarin and Mussa dropped to the bench, replaced by Francis and Ogbonna

LINE-UP:

SUTTON UNITED (All amber with chocolate quarters on shirt-front) 1 Spike Brits, 3 Besart Topalloj, 5 Will Nightingale, 6 Charlie Bell, 7 Emmanuel Osadebe, 8 Jake Taylor, 9 Temi Babalola, 12 Dan Urpens, 20 Jermaine Francis, 23 Noah Nazuzi, 18 David Ogbonna. Subs: 24. O Bello, 11 Sam Folarin, 14 Omar Mussa, 35 A Kirk, 13 Chris Haigh (gk), 34. B Njoku, 40. Ronny Ruiz

ALTRINCHAM (Red shirts with white sleeves and trim, red shorts and white socks)): 1. Owen Evans; 21. Reuben Lopata-White, 5.Jake Cooper, 2. Lewis Banks, 15. Sam Taylor, 4. Jack Hinchy, 8. Liam Humbles, 7. Otis Khan, 22. Tom Crawford (c), 10. Aidan Barlow, 17. Lucas Weaver. Subs: 11. Jimmy Knowles, 12. Kian Breckin, 13. Andy Firth (gk), 16. Remi Raymond, 23. Charlie Kirk, 25. Joel Bailey, 26. Anthony Forde.

BACKGROUND:

The sides had experienced opposite emotions in their opening league games of the season. Alty had lost 1-3 at home to Southend in a game in which they had seen a red card for Kosylo and a goalkeeping injury for Evans.

In contrast, the "U"s had triumphed impressively at Surrey neighbours Woking, winning 3-0 at the Laithwaite.

REPORT:

Sutton kicked off ona bright, warm afternoon at Gander Green Lane. Inside the first minute Alty goalkeeper Evans was almost closed down with the ball at his feet.

However, it was Altrincham who won the first corner (3 mins) and they went on to have the lion's share of possession in the first half.

But it was the hosts who had the first real goal threat after Lopata-White had lost possessio, to the right of his own goal, and Ogbonna took advantage to test Evans, who held his low shot (9 mins).

The respite was short as the Alty keeper played the ball forward to Hinchy who was around the "D" in front of Alty's penalty area. The nidfielder played the ball back safely to his keeper, but Evans then kicked the ball some 15 yards straight to opposition forward Babalola, right of centre.

The "U"s' forward played a pass to his left to Ogbonna who drove a low shot into the net to give his side the lead (10 mins).

The goal was sadly reminiscent of the error which led to Southend's second goal the previous week.

Altrincham responded with two corners in as many minutes (12-14 mins) and went on to enjoy plenty of neat but unproductive possession. The Alty cause was not helped when a Francis error potentially set Weaver running at goal only for him to be brought down by an opponent but without any retribution from the referee (20 mins).

Taylor was looking to be a threat for Alty on their left but, when he was clearly held by Nazuzi, the referee did not act against the offender but when the Alty man respoinded with his own holding, it was he who was punished by the official with a yellow card (24 mins).

However, Nazuzi was booked five minutes later for another transgression (29 mins). A hydration break was decreed at the end of which the home captain, Jake Taylor, was replaced by Mussa (31 mins).

Humbles was, like Taylor, one of Alty's brighter performers and he now got into the box, only for his shot to be blocked (34 mins). The referee was showing a liberal approach to several fouls by Babalola, one of which left Crawford needing tratement and a spell on the sidelines after his treatment.

Banks then remonstrated with his keeper for passing the ball out to him when the defender was being marked by an opponent but Banks won a freekick to ward off any danger (39 mins).

As regulation first-half time drew to its end, Humbles earned his side a corner, after which Cooper went down following an off the ball spat with Ogbonna. Both players received a lecture from the referee (45 mins).

In the five added minutes Sutton won a corner and, shortly afterwards, Evans was unable to gather a cross, but the referee awarded Altrincham a freekick. So the first half ended with Altrincham looking the better team but devoid of any real threat of scoring.

Alty kicked off and soon Evans was again on the receiving end of a remonstration from a team-mate as, this time, Crawford was displeased by the keeper's punt upfield which landed beyond his team's most advanced players (51 mins).

Altrincham's first change brought Knowles on to replace Weaver (59 mins). A back pass from Lopata-White was then cleared into touch by Evans before the hosts brought on Folarin for Nazuzi (61 mins).

Alty then created a rare chance as Humbles's over hit cross from the left found Khan, right of goal. His lay-off, inside, set up Crawford for a twenty-yarder but he hoofed this shot miles over the bar (63 mins).

Play was now fairly scrappy, with a slice by Cooper giving the hosts an unnecessary corner (68 mins). Soon afterwards, Cooper found himself in the referee's book as he brought down Mussa who had threatened to get away after Crawford had lost possession (70 mins).

A drinks break followed (71 mins), after which Francis's foul on Crawford prompted a minor fracas(77 mins).

A double change brought on Breckin and Kirk for Humbles and Lopata-White (82 mins). For some reason Humbles rarely sees out ninety minutes.

An Alty corner came and went before Sutton made two changes with Njoku and Bello replacing Bell and Ogbonna (85mins). At the same break, Raymond replaced Hinchy for the visitors (86 mins).

Kirk won a corner (89 mins) after which six added minutes were computed.

It was Sutton who came closest to scoring in that added time as Mussa jinked into the box and drew a good save from Evans (90+4 mins).

And so ended a disappointing game for Altrincham who had enjoyed the majority of possession yet managed just a single effort on target.