SUTTON UTD 2, ALDERSHOT TN 0

ALDERSHOT Town bade farewell to a wretched November with another deeply frustrating defeat.

Extending their debilitating run to just one point from five games during the month, and yet again failing to create the bit of luck which could have helped to snatch a result, the Shots are desperate for a change in fortune.

Already able to name just three substitutes, Aldershot then lost Jake Gallagher to a debatable red card in first-half injury time and Jack Saville to a nasty head wound after the break.

The visitors conceded the opening goal – scored by former Shots defender Jamie Collins – while down to nine men, with Saville receiving treatment, and were once more left to ponder the perceived injustice.

“I’m very pleased to see the back of it, if I’m honest,” admitted manager Gary Waddock of his mensis horribilis. “It’s been a very tough period and nothing has gone right for us.

“We have to be more clinical when chances come our way,” he said, not for the first time. “That changes the course of the game, but again we’re talking about a decision that has really hurt us. Then (with ten men) we had to be solid and compact and try to hit them on the counter-attack, and we had chances, but we’re not taking them.”

United were rampant for the first 15 minutes, but failed to find the early breakthrough and the Shots steadily forged a foothold in the game, with two fleeting opportunities for Matt McClure, who found Ross Worner in fine form.

The Hindhead-born goalkeeper, also an ex-Shot, then saved another McClure drive and blocked Gallagher’s shot painfully with his face.

At the other end, Mark Smith smothered Maxime Biamou’s point-blank flick, but the game swung Sutton’s way in stoppage time.

As Gallagher and Bedsente Gomis wrestled for the ball in midfield, the United player bounced up from the turf incensed at either a strong arm or hint of a kick from Gallagher and referee David Rock issued the red card.

Gomis and Idris Kanu, who had restrained his opponent from retaliating, were also booked amidst confusion over the offence.

Chris Dickson wasted an early second-half chance for Sutton before the home side made the breakthrough while Aldershot were down to nine. Saville clashed heads with Biamou, resulting in a cut so deep that it could not immediately be stitched.

Scott Rendell dropped back into defence but, on 58 minutes, Collins rose above Dion Conroy to head Deacon’s free-kick into the net.

Substitute Iffy Allen raced through, only to be denied by Worner advancing to the edge of his penalty area, and such profligacy was punished on 79 minutes. Kevin Amankwaah spun to whip in a cross which found Collins all on his own, eight yards out, to lash a shot past Smith.

There was little suggestion of an Aldershot comeback in the remaining time, but Waddock remained philosophical. “It’s tough, but there’s some real belief in that dressing-room and we’ll come out the other end a lot stronger.”

Sutton: Worner; Amankwaah, Downer, Collins, Spence; Bailey (May 82), Eastmond, Gomis; Biamou (Fitchett 69), Deacon, Dickson (McAllister 63). Subs (not used): Jefford, Dundas. Booked: Gomis.

Aldershot: Smith; Alexander, Conroy, Saville (Walker 61), Straker; Mensah (Allen 71), Gallagher, Kellermann, Kanu; Rendell, McClure (Wakefield 46). Booked: Kellerman, Kanu. Sent off: Gallagher.

Referee: David Rock.

Attendance: 1,847.

* Aldershot, who have slipped back to 12th place in the National League table, begin December with a home match against seventh-placed Boreham Wood this Saturday.