Sutton & Epsom head coach Lee Cholewa has ticked off an early season target, but there are many more to come.

Tries from Gary Stuckey-Clarke (two), Frankie Murray and Nate Chapman, plus a Murray drop goal and 10 points off Sam Hurley’s boot, were enough to scrape past Twickenham 33-31 on Saturday – and open their new London Division One South campaign on a winning note.

Next up is Sidcup, who inflicted Sutton’s last league defeat in January, at Rugby Lane, and Cholewa’s looking for some revenge.

However, before then, Cholewa was delighted with last weekend’s bonus point performance.

“It was very important to get the five bonus points, and to get that first win of the season was vital,” he said.

“Last season we started with three defeats, and that can lead to a dip in confidence and morale and it can threaten the rest of the season.

“We have set the guys many small targets this season, and winning the opening game was one of them.”

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Frankie Murray celebrates getting over the whitewash 

He added: “It was a tough game and Twickenham pushed us to the end.

“We did not have a lot of possession. We made something like 150 tackles.

“But when we had possession, we were able to score without going through too many phases.

“Sidcup will be a very different game. They are a physical side, big in the forward pack and disciplined in defence.

“They beat us at our place, and that sticks in the throat a bit, so we’re aiming to put that right.”

Cholewa has James Caddy available for the Sidcup visit, after the club captain’s honeymoon clashed with the Twickenham win.

The coach is ready to lose more players over the coming season as commitments away from the game take priority, something he fully understands.

“Playing for this club is a huge commitment, with training twice a week and games on Saturday,” he said.

“I know that family is the most important thing, followed by work commitments – although we all love to play rugby, it comes way down in the pecking order of priorities.”