True to their long history of benevolence towards teams at the bottom of the table, promotion chasing Sutton meekly handed a first win of the season to a battling Bedford side, who earned their first victory after 24 fruitless games with a fine team performance, taking full advantage of Sutton's lacklustre demeanour with a strong running game deserving of the 16-0 result.

The 'surprise' result means Sutton's league season goes right down to the wire, with their place in the promotion play off depending on a home victory against old rivals Bournville this Saturday. A win will take Sutton in to the play off against the runner up from the National 3 North league ahead of Old Halesonians, who won their respective game last weekend to move ahead of Nuneaton, just 3 points behind Sutton, making for a tight end to the season for the runner up spot with Broadstreet well clear at the top.

The situation in National 3 North is even tighter with 3 teams still able to win the league going in to the final weekend. So much to play for in both leagues!

In the first half of a game which would have secured Sutton's place in the play off with any sort of win, the visitors endured a forty minutes to forget as they failed to engage in the game and the defiant Bedford side proved their worth with some powerful running in the backs leading to 2 tries for left wing Charlie Darlow and 2 well struck penalties from the boot of flyhalf James Hawken.

All 16 points came in the first half, with a try on 14 minutes, penalties on 20 minutes and 24 minutes respectively and the final try 13 minutes before the break but whilst Sutton lifted their game in the second half with some penetrating runs from super sub Andy Tovey, who came on in the centre, the team still fell short of their normally high standards and were unable to turn the tide against a defiant Bedford side, who played well and deserved their win.

Sutton now have to regroup and raise their game again to defeat old rivals Broadstreet, who will be determined to spoil the Sutton promotion prospects! An end of season game not to be missed at the RSG, Walmley Road, Sutton Coldfield. KO 3pm