Accrington boss John Coleman praised playmaker Joe Pritchard who scored after nine months out injured in the 4-1 win over Sutton.
Former Tottenham trainee Pritchard came on at half-time with Stanley already 1-0 up after Shaun Whalley had been upended by Craig Clay and Tommy Leigh slotted home the penalty in the first minute of first-half added time.
Leigh curled home the second after 57 minutes before Pritchard found Rosaire Longelo to fire home the third in the 63rd minute.
Omari Patrick blasted the ball home for Sutton after 64 minutes before Pritchard slotted home Whalley’s cross in the fifth minute of added time.
Pritchard suffered an Achilles tendon injury last December and it has been a long road back for him.
“I am delighted for Joe,” said Coleman, whose side had lost their previous two league games. “It’s been a long, hard struggle for him and there has been no-one more dedicated than him and no-one who deserves it more than him.
“I am so glad he got his goal, it was great to see him put the ball in the net.
“You could see his flashes of brilliance which should light this league up.
“We had a very strong bench and we have got competition for places which we have been craving and hopefully will help us be successful.
“I am delighted to get into positive goal difference and delighted for the win as this was a tough game.
“I don’t think 4-1 reflected the score, we did step it up in the second half but they had plenty of chances. Thankfully we got the goals at the right time.
“We have been stuck on 10 points for a couple of games so I am glad to get off that.”
Sutton have now lost seven successive league games and manager Matt Gray, who had his 42nd birthday on Saturday, is asking for everyone to stick together as they sit in the bottom two.
“The success Sutton have had over the last four years has been built on solid defence, resilience and being hard to beat and not conceding soft goals which we are at the moment.
“We are making mistakes and they are being punished. We are working hard to eradicate this.
“We also need to be ruthless and more clinical.
“It wasn’t a penalty in the first half and the first goal is always important. We need the rub of the green as well.
“It was soon 3-0 but we showed our spirit and togetherness to get a goal back and had a couple of chances but they got a fourth on the breakaway. To lose 4-1 was harsh to take.
“It is a tough situation but we will get through it. I feel like we aren’t too far away. Me, the staff and the players have got to keep grafting away and we have all got to stick together as we will get out of it.”
International record goalscorer Sinclair to retire after NWSL season
Christine Sinclair, the all-time record goalscorer in international football, will retire at the end of the National Women’s Soccer League in November.
Sinclair, 41, has 190 goals in 331 appearances for Canada, making her the top scorer across both men's and women's football.
She has played for the NWSL's Portland Thorns since 2013, helping them to win the inaugural title that year. She added further league crowns to her collection in 2017 and 2022.
The Canadian great has had similar success with her national team, winning a gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. She is also one of three players to score at five World Cups, alongside Brazil's Marta and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo.
Sinclair retired from international football in December 2023, and will now call time on her club career.
"Portland, thank you will never be enough. Soccer has been my passion since I was four years old and it has taken me on a journey I could never have imagined," Sinclair wrote on Instagram.
"As I finish out this last ride, I want to say what a privilege it has been to represent this unique, beautiful, and passionate city that I will always call home."
Dorival calls for patience over Neymar's Brazil return
Brazil head coach Dorival Junior called for Neymar to be given as much time as he needs to make a full recovery from a knee injury before returning to the national side.
Neymar ruptured his meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) while on international duty last October in a 2-0 defeat to Uruguay, missing the Copa America as a result.
The 32-year-old underwent surgery and returned to training with Al-Hilal in July, but he is yet to make his comeback, with head coach Jorge Jesus saying this week the Brazilian was not ready.
Neymar is Brazil's all-time top scorer with 79 goals in 128 appearances and is 15 caps shy of breaking Cafu's record for the most outings for the Selecao.
But the forward is again missing from the Brazil squad for their 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Peru next month, with Dorival saying he will wait until the right moment to welcome Neymar back into the fold.
"We'll wait, we'll be patient, it doesn't matter if he can't come back in October, November or even February," Dorival said.
"He needs to be confident, he needs to play and above all he needs to be completely healed from this injury.
"We are starting to realise how important he is.
"If he returns in the coming years, we will have one of the greatest players in world football at a remarkable moment in his career and in our national team."
Dorival recalled Barcelona winger Raphinha and Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli for their upcoming fixtures next month.
Real Madrid trio Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Endrick were the other attacking options included for the five-time world champions.
Brazil have 10 points from eight qualifiers after losing four of their last five matches, leaving them fifth and just one point above Paraguay, who occupy the play-off spot.
Guardiola declares "war" on Arsenal in escalating rivalry
Pep Guardiola said Manchester City had been "provoked" into a "war" with Arsenal after the two sides drew 2-2 at the Etihad Stadium in a drama-filled clash.
City players John Stones and Kyle Walker suggested the Gunners used the "dark arts" as they sought to defend a 2-1 lead in the second half with 10 men.
Mikel Arteta's men had just one shot and 12.4% possession following the break, after Leandro Trossard had been sent off just before half-time.
While Stones salvaged a point with a late equaliser, Arsenal’s defensive approach led Guardiola to call into question what had previously been a cordial relationship with former protegee Arteta.
"Gabriel [Magalhaes] said it perfectly in the press after the match, so this is a war. We have to provoke the opponent, to push them, and at the end, what can you do? You provoke me, OK, I'm there," the City boss told the media.
"You want a war? Now we war."
Last Sunday's result means City have failed to beat Arsenal in their last four meetings in all competitions.
Arsenal had overturned a 1-0 deficit in the first half after an early Erling Haaland goal to lead 2-1 through Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel.
When asked about accusations of the "dark arts", Arteta reflected the claims back on his opponents in reference to the time he spent at City as Guardiola's assistant.
"I was there for four years. I have all the information, so I know, believe me," the Spaniard jibed.
The City boss responded: "Next time Mikel has to be more clear about exactly what he means.
"He said he was here four years and knows exactly what happened here. That can be related to the process now with 115 charges, maybe he knows information about that? Or maybe he had something like, I don't know?
"Hopefully, this question has been asked, and he can answer exactly what he means."
Arteta is still hugely respectful of his former mentor.
"I love him, I respect him, and I admire him. I admire his team and everything that he does," added Arteta.
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