Sutton & Epsom head coach Jeff Parsons reckons the London One South title was won by the wrong team.

Sutton’s 29-19 win at Guildford was not enough as Wimbledon beat Sidcup to claim the title and promotion to National League Three.

However, Parsons believes that Chobham, who will contest the play-off, were the rightful winners.

Chobham finished two points behind Wimbledon, having had five points docked for fielding an ineligible player in September.

Parsons said: “Chobham can feel rightly aggrieved. I thought they were the better team, they were a complete team - they beat Wimbledon, and beat us twice.

“We beat Wimbledon twice, but when we played Chobham they were a more complete team. I wish them well in the play-offs.”

At Guildford on Saturday, Andy Nichols bagged a hat-trick of tries, while Andy Matthews also crossed the whitewash and Frankie Murray kicked the extras, but it was to no avail as Sutton finished third in the table – just five points off the top.

Richmond and Twickenham Times:

Hat-trick man: Andy Nichols finished the season in fine style with three tries in the win at Guildford  

Parsons, who guided Sutton to the top London league two seasons ago, knows only too well where those points were dropped.

“All we could do was our bit and hope that other results went our way, but it was not to be,” he said.

“It’s hard to take when you look back over the season, and the three defeats at the very start – games we should have won – ended up being the difference.

“We lost the first game of the season to Guildford by two points when they scored two tries in the 13th and 14th minute of injury time – that was a kicker.”

Parsons, who guided Sutton to promotion to the top tier of London rugby two seasons ago, is now stepping down as head coach, with Lee Chowela taking over.

Parsons said: “I had considered walking away completely as it was getting too much with family life and work life.

“But I am really excited about next season and so I will be staying on as forwards coach.”

He added: “We can go into next season knowing we are good enough to challenge for promotion.

“We have a young squad, but they will have got some great experience at this level.

“It is all about keeping that momentum, so often a side that pushes hard one season can fall away the next, but I cannot see that happening.”