SOUTH: SUTTON UTD 4 CARSHALTON 1

Despite the distraction of conceding an own goal inside the first minute, Sutton were strong enough on Saturday to power back with the wind behind them in the second half and give their supporters the best possible start to the New Year by completing the double over their local rivals.

Carshalton have to go back to the Athenian League days of the early 1960s for their last league win at Gander Green Lane, but despite the absence through suspension of Sam Saunders and Colin Hartburn they could have been forgiven for thinking it might be their day as U's gifted them an opener before some spectators had settled into their places.

Making his home debut after his loan signing from Crawley, Kevin Hemsley's first touch was a header that went out for a throw-in, and his second a headed interception when Bradley Pritchard lifted a fairly harmless ball into the penalty area, but caught out by the wind he could only direct it towards his own goal and with Phil Wilson wrongfooted it bounced tamely into the net.

Only 28 seconds had elapsed, and although their former Sutton defenders found early trouble as Gary Elliott was booked and Mark Costello limped off, for the next twenty minutes Carshalton enjoyed the better of the game, and they were unlucky not to go further ahead when Des Boateng let fly from 25 yards and saw the ball crash back off the crossbar with Wilson beaten.

Joff Vansittart's aerial threat gave U's their most promising early moments, as he met one Matt Gray cross with a header that Stuart Searle touched over, and a second with another header that was comfortably held by Robins' keeper, but Carshalton continued to use the wind to their advantage and Wilson was pleased to hold on to a low Nic McDonnell shot that deflected off Lewis Gonsalves. He also had to make a good save to deny Billy Harding who arrived late to flick a left wing cross goalwards.

But the game took a huge swing in U's favour when they equalised twelve minutes before half time. Eddie Akuamoah chased a Nigel Brake pass down the left and cut it back low from the by-line for Vansittart to produce a delightful near post flick to beat Searle.

U's might even have led at the break, Gonsalves meeting a Gray corner with an acrobatic volley that was scrambled away, and Craig Watkins volleying just over when Gray returned the ball from the left. They should certainly have been in front inside the first minute of the second half, Scott Corbett running on to a low Gray corner in what looked a rehearsed move but then checking his shot and scooping it harmlessly over.

With the increasingly strong wind behind them, U's were now firm favourites, but it took a long time for them to justify the billing as the game threatened to fade away: U's overhitting passes and Carshalton struggling to make an impression. Dale Marvell showed some neat skills on occasions, and Boateng tested Wilson after winning a good tackle and shooting low from twenty yards, but as the game entered its last quarter U's began to look the stronger and, with 18 minutes left, Gray's persistence in chasing an Andy Cyrus clearance that everyone assumed to be going out of play was rewarded when his deflected cross was volleyed powerfully in from close range by John Scarborough as the defence hesitated.

It was difficult to see the visitors recovering from that, but it still came as a relief for U's when they added a third eight minutes later to settle any doubts. Again Gray was the instigator with a low cross that was scrambled away from Vansittart only for Akuamoah to whip the ball back past Searle.

After that Sutton cruised through the last ten minutes, and their afternoon was topped off when Brake's cross-shot from the left touchline, all of 40 yards from goal, found Searle too far off his line and looked in from the moment it left his foot, giving the former Crawley midfielder back his first goal in Sutton colours.

Sutton: P Wilson, M Gray (sub S Booth 88), L Gonsalves , K Hemsley, J Scarborough, S Corbett (sub P Fear 80), C Watkins (sub C Nurse 84), P Honey, J Vansittart, N Brake, E Akuamoah. Subs not used G Boosey, A Iga
Goals: Vansittart (33), Scarborough(72), Akuamoah(80), Brake(85)
Booked: Gray (41 - foul)

Carshalton: S Searle, B Harding, P Wood, M Costello (sub A Cyrus 16), D Boateng, G Elliott, D Carroll, M York, N McDonnell, D Marvell, B Pritchard Subs n/u: A Reeve, L John, A Stone
Goal: Hemsley (1, o.g.)
Booked: Elliott (11 - foul)

Referee: J Beadle (Gravesend)

Attendance: 1044