Paul Doswell expressed his disappointment after his Sutton United team drew 1-1 away at Hayes & Yeading United in the Vanarama Conference South on Sunday afternoon.
Sutton fell a goal down after 22 minutes, Louis-Rae Beadle scuffing a shot into the net after rounding keeper Tom Lovelock.
But a strong performance from the Us was rewarded with an equaliser from Jessy Reindorf ten minutes after half time, the striker heading in Jack Evans’s free kick.
And Doswell, who saw his side lose both Dale Binns and Callum Hart to knee injuries, said: “In any other circumstances, a point away from home is a good one, but the lads are disappointed in there. We felt that we controlled 90 per cent of the game.”
The Hayes & Yeading goal had come against the early run of play, and within moments of Sutton striking the post through Michael Spillane.
“I’ve never seen a strike hit the inside of the post from that angle and not go in, and then from that, they go up the pitch and score,” said Doswell.
“But that’s three games unbeaten, we’ve got to take the positives.
“We’ve got to start improving our home form if we’re going to get anywhere this year, but there’s very few away teams that dominate like we do, and it was another dominating performance again today.”
In Ryman League Division One South, Tooting & Mitcham claimed a 3-1 win away against Herne Bay, with goals from Danny Summers, Frankie Sawyer and Howard Newton.
In the same division, Carshalton Athletic claimed a 4-0 victory over Ramsgate, with two goals each from Mickel Miller and Michael Campbell.
Corinthian Casuals, though, succumbed to a 2-1 defeat at home to Whitstable Town, despite a late strike from Michael Salako.
It was a disappointing weekend for south-west London teams in the first qualifying round of the FA Trophy.
Hampton & Richmond Borough slumped to a 0-3 home defeat against Grays Athletic, while Kingstonian went down 3-1 away at Barkingside, having taken the lead just after the hour through Sam Page only to concede an equaliser within a minute and two more goals in the last quarter of an hour.
Walton Casuals lost 4-2 to Peacehaven and Telscombe having been 2-1 up after an hour, while Walton & Hersham also exited the competition, losing 3-2 to Maidstone United.
However, Met Police restored some order, beating Billericay Town 1-0 with a goal just before half time from Ryan James.
In the first round of the FA Vase, meanwhile, there were mixed fortunes, with Colliers Wood United winning 4-3 against Ringmer after extra time, but Raynes Park Vale going down 3-1 at home to Westfield.
