South give Sutton too much of a start coming up short at the final whistle.

Sutton Coldfield visited Welford Road one place above South Leicester in the N3M league and like South haven't started the season as successfully as both would have hoped. South had Andy Gates return in the centre for injured Will Cave, while Keiran Stone also returned to the front row. Chris Bale, back from injury, Dave Weston back from a car crash and Ed Hopkins made up the bench.

South started brightly and put the Sutton line under considerable pressure from driving rucks and mauls. Connor Smith broke through the visitors defence, but without support the chance came to nothing. Lee Robinson had a number of barging runs again without success. Sutton's line speed and counter rucking gradually got them back into the game and for the latter part of the first half they handed South a lesson in finishing. Captain Dave Edwards went over for two tries, one converted.
South were outfought and out thought by Sutton in that twenty minute period, which in reality cost them the game. Early pressure from the opening whistle gleaned South no points from a number of chances and an injury to top scorer Lee Robinson who had to retire from the game to be replaced by Dave Weston.
With a score of 0-12 at half time South were still in the game, but Sutton's third converted try by man of the match Fraser Tait moved Sutton out to 0-19 and a mountain to climb for the home side.
On the hour South put their game together resulting in a try for Will Ward and a Penalty Try both converted by Mark Lord, but unfortunately it wasn't enough for victory. The visitors added to their three first half tries late on, against the run of play, to take them out to 14-26 at the final whistle. South had recovered to 14-19 with only minutes left, but were left numb by the visitors late touchdown denying the home side a losing bonus point while gaining a four try scoring bonus point of their own.
It was a spirited comeback from South, but as we found out last season, you cannot give any team of Sutton's ability such a lead and expect to win, even at home.
Some determined resistance in the second half from South with Stu Bale, Josh McLaurin, Chris Bale and Andy Gates to the fore, but it was disappointingly a bridge too far.

South squad: Graney, Robinson (Weston), Smith, Gates, Kerr, Lord, Aley, McLaurin, Johnson, Langan (Bale C), Bale S, Ward, Stone, Coltman, McNaughton, Hopkins.