Boreham Wood fell to their first league defeat in since September, following a 0-4 loss to Sutton United at Meadow Park.
Keiran Murtagh was sent off in the first half of a game ruled by refereeing decisions.
Jamie Collins had opened the scoring with a penalty in the 32nd minute, before Nicky Bailey doubled the scoring from the spot seconds before half time.
With the Wood down to ten men, two further goals from Craig Eastmond in the second half then confirmed the defeat.
Ricky Shakes had moved into left-wing back for Noah Chesmain, with Mark Ricketts slotting back into midfield alongside Murtagh.
There was an early chance for the hosts, as Bruno Andrade crashed a header against the crossbar, before being pulled back for offside.
The Wood had started the game brightly and a cross from Shakes on the left-wing was narrowly above the heads of Andrade and Shaun Jeffers.
David Stephens then sent a long ball over The U’s defence and Andrade touched it down, but he was battled out of play.
Slick interplay between Andrade and Balanta on the right-side caught the visitor’s defence off-guard and they raced down the wing, but Balanta was fought off the ball by the Sutton defence.
From the clearance, Andrade swung in a corner from the right and Stephens nodded it across the box, but no one was able to turn it home.
Still on the front-foot, Murtagh crossed low across the box and Balanta fired at Jamie Butler in goal, but it was blocked.
The provided then almost turned goal scorer, as he got on the end of Andrade’s corner, but sent it inches wide of the post.
Despite their first half dominance, the Wood went behind when Collins sent a penalty strike past Grant Smith. Tom Bolarinwa had countered for Sutton and Jamie Turley made a last-ditch challenge in the area, nicking the ball from beneath his feet, but the referee ruled it to be a penalty.
The wood had the chance to level the scores shortly after, but Butler dived to his right to keep out Andrade’s well hit free kick.
Still searching for an equaliser, Shakes swung a ball in from the left and Jeffers leapt to meet it, but Butler beat him to the ball.
Kane Smith picked up the ball shortly before the halfway line and drove upfield before lashing a strike from 20-yards, but it swept narrowly over the crossbar.
In injury time of the first half, the Wood were condemned to another penalty. Eastmond had raced clear for Sutton and Murtagh charged back to clip the ball from beneath his feet, but Eastmond went down and the referee pointed to the spot once more. Murtagh was sent off for his challenge and Bailey slotted home from the spot.
Sutton had their third just before the 70th minute, Eastmond had been threaded through by Bolarinwa and he slipped the ball past Smith.
The midfielder then snatched the ball from the Wood defence, round Smith and struck home for a fourth.
Aaron Jarvis had been brought on to try and reduce the deficit, and almost scored in spectacular fashion, taking the ball down on his chest and thumping it on the volley, but Butler caught.
Still on the attack, Blair Turgott rounded his marker and flashed the ball low across the box, but Shakes turned it over the crossbar.
The Wood: G Smith, K Smith, Ricketts ©, Stephens, Shakes, Champion, Murtagh, Andrade (Chesmain 77), Jeffers (Jarvis 58), Turley, Balanta (Turgott 58)
Subs not used: Burbidge, Johnson
Sutton United: Butler, Thomas, Collins, Davis (Spence 71), Dundas, Eastmond (Taylor 78), Bailey, Wright (Coombes 64), Walton, Downer, Bolarinwa
Subs: Lafayette, Cadogan
Red card: Keiran Murtagh
Goals:
Sutton United: Collins 32′, Bailey 45+’, Eastmond 68′, 74′
