Sutton United began their campaign at Step 5 with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Sporting Khalsa on Saturday. The match took place at Sporting Khalsa’s home ground, where the hosts applied strong pressure during the first half. Harvey Smith and Kai Cunningham came close to scoring for Khalsa before Sutton broke the deadlock early in the second half.

Four minutes after the restart, Jayden Hunter capitalized on a free-kick that fell fortuitously in the box, allowing him to slot the ball home and give Sutton the lead. The remainder of the match remained competitive, with both sides creating opportunities, but Sutton ultimately secured the result deep into stoppage time. Two minutes before the final whistle, Lewis Hayden extended Sutton’s advantage on a swift counterattack, calmly finishing to make it 2-0.

Sporting Khalsa responded with a late goal from Mikkel Hirst, who fired a shot through a crowded penalty area three minutes into added time. However, Sutton’s defense held firm to maintain their lead and claim all three points.

Promoted teams enjoyed successful starts across the division. Runcorn Town, champions of the North West Counties One South, came from behind to defeat Lye Town 4-2. Alfie Stewart’s early goal put Lye ahead, but Runcorn rallied late in the first half with goals from Connor Spiers, Charlie Harland, and Jamie Apperley. Sam Flower added a fourth to seal the comeback.

Another Step 6 promotion winner, Stockport Georgians, registered an emphatic 4-1 victory against Tividale. Lucas Berry spearheaded the offense with a hat-trick, propelling his side to a commanding win on the opening day of the new season.

Overall, these results signal a strong start for the newly promoted clubs as they adjust to competition at higher levels. Sutton United’s resilient performance, in particular, highlights their readiness to compete in Step 5 football.