SOUTH: REDBRIDGE 0 SUTTON UTD 5

Sutton continued their climb away from the Nationwide South relegation zone on Saturday as they recorded their biggest league win of the season so far and maintained their record of having scored at least four goals on each of their visits to the Oakside ground.

If ever there was a good time to play a team this was it, with Redbridge reeling from the departure of manager Craig Edwards and the disintegration of their squad, and it is hard on Saturday's evidence to see them having anything other than a real struggle to retain their place in the division, but in the sort of conditions that can act as a levelling influence it was still a pleasingly emphatic win for U's and saw them finish the game with their goal difference in the positive for the first time this season.

The afternoon had a troubled start for U's, with the team coach delayed in traffic and then involved in a minor collision outside the ground, although everyone was unscathed. But it proved a particularly eventful day for Matt Gray, who had celebrated his 21st birthday the day before and who during the course of the game scored one goal and created two, as well as being accosted by a home supporter and finally limping off after collapsing in agony as his penalty hit the net for U's fifth goal.

Once the game had kicked off 15 minutes late, U's had the unpleasant wind in their favour and both Gray and Nigel Brake were prominent on the flanks early on. Brake almost repeated his goal against Carshalton with a cross that carried on the wind just beyond the far post, and then caused trouble with another centre that was headed very close to his own goal by Richard Halle, while Kevin Hemsley's header was well saved by Nicky Wilson.

The worry that the pace of Andy Aransibia and Jay Murray might cause U's problems, particularly in the second half, suggested that U's needed a good half time advantage, so it was a relief when the unmarked Lewis Gonsalves headed Gray's left wing corner home in the 24th minute.

Three minutes later Gray was involved in U's second, although referee Paul Forrester also deserves an assist for waiting to penalise a late challenge on Peter Fear until he saw where Fear's pass ended up. When Gray collected it and darted between two defenders play was waved on, and Gray's cross was turned over the line by defender Shayne Mendoza as he tried to clear.

Three minutes later and Gray was the centre of attention again in the afternoon's most bizarre moment as an elderly spectator, who was standing by the corner flag and had indicated dissatisfaction with the placing of the ball for the corner from which Gonsalves scored, registered his protest by grabbing the neck of Gray's shirt as he stepped back to take another corner from the same place. Gray's calm reaction did him great credit, and after a confused minute or so play continued with no obvious action taken against the offender.

U's were unable to add to their lead, but bookings for Tom Davey and Bobby Dinnen indicated that Redbridge were at full stretch to keep them out. Nevertheless, when Phil Wilson had to dive to his right to keep out a low shot from Petrit Elbi early in the second half it looked as though a two-goal lead might not be enough in the conditions.

Redbridge lacked the quality to take advantage, though, and after a surging run from Gray had been halted illegally 25 yards out Fear was close with the free kick to the third goal that would settle U's nerves. They didn't have to wait long, though, as Fear chipped in a cross from the left after a throw in and this time it was Yohance Lewis, who had scored Redbridge's winner at Sutton in September, who got his bearings wrong and stabbed the ball in to his own net.

Two minutes later U's scored the best goal of the game as a sweeping left wing move ended with Brake's cross being glanced in by Scott Corbett at the near post, and it was then just a case of how many U's would win by. Having kept up their record of scoring four at the ground, they managed to maintain the other record of this fixture, with every previous game between the sides producing at least five goals, when another strong run by Brake saw him brought down by substitute Dean Bradshaw, and Gray converted the penalty although not without drama as in taking the kick he aggravated an injury he'd received three minutes earlier and had to be helped off.

Sutton: P Wilson, M Gray (sub J Vansittart 82), L Gonsalves, K Hemsley, J Scarborough, S Corbett, C Watkins, P Honey, P Fear (sub C Nurse 80), N Brake, E Akuamoah (sub S Booth 70).
Goals: Gonsalves (24), Mendoza (27, og), Lewis (65, og), Corbett (67), Gray (82 pen)

Redbridge: N Wilson, D Sangare, R Dobson (sub D Bradshaw 62), S Mendoza, R Halle, T Davey, P Elbi, Y Lewis, A Aransibia, J Murray (sub T Chapman 75), B Dinnen. Subs not used: L D Bull, I Luck, C Conway. Booked: Davey (35 - persistent infringement), Dinnen (38 - foul)

Referee: P Forrester (Luton)

Attendance: 158