Halifax defeat ends Sutton's automatic promotion hopes

Sutton's fading hopes of automatic promotion to the Football League were extinguished by a 2-1 defeat at Halifax.The visitors missed a great early chance when Tommy Wright hit the crossbar from three yards out.Halifax made them pay when Jake Hibbs released the onrushing Mike Fondop-Talom, who rounded Jamie Butler to score.Substitute Ross Lafayette thought he had secured a point for Sutton when he headed home a corner by another replacement, Harry Beautyman.But the hosts surged up the other end, and after Jamie Butler had done well to tip Scott McManus's effort against the bar, Ben Tomlinson reacted to nod in and claim Halifax's victory.