Jack Roles earns Gateshead victory in Sutton thriller

Jack Roles scored twice as Gateshead survived a determined fightback by Sutton to claim a thrilling 4-3 National League victory.

The hosts looked to be cruising when, after Roles had given them a 16th-minute lead, Jovan Malcolm doubled their advantage with 10 minutes of the first half remaining.

However, the visitors gave themselves hope in stoppage time when Will Davies squeezed a shot past keeper Harrison Bond, who had replaced the injured George Shelvey in the Heed goal, to make it 2-1.

They were right back in it within four minutes of the restart when Bond could only parry Besart Topallaj’s drive and Alex Kirk pounced on the rebound, and Gateshead’s evening took a further turn for the worse when Lewis Simper smashed a 57th-minute half-volley past the substitute keeper from all of 30 yards.

But Luke Hannant levelled 16 minutes from time with an equally spectacular strike to set the stage for Roles to win it with his second of the night with 10 minutes remaining.