Last season’s top goal-scorer in Sutton United colours is having to play second fiddle to the new strikeforce, and boss Paul Doswell says patience is the key to getting back in the side.

Dan Fitchett, who bagged 21 goals in all competitions last season, has found himself behind new boys Max Biamou and Chris Dickson, starting just three times in seven games.

His last outing was in Saturday’s 4-0 defeat at Chester, and he was back on the bench when Bradley Hudson-Odoi’s solitary strike saw off Dagenham & Redbridge to leave United sixth in the National League table.

However, Doswell has sympathy for the 25-year-old, mixed with a dose of reality.

“Dan has been unlucky because Max has come in and looked an absolute star player, there are not many people who have come in and made the impact that he has – we all feel he will be playing at a much higher level one day,” Doswell said.

SUTTON UNITED: Wishart to stay at Gander Green Lane... for now

A Sutton United front: Togetherness is in abundance at Gander Green Lane

“So Dan is competing with Chris [Dickson] and Max for that one place up front.

“It has not been easy for him to get in because of Max’s form. It’s not easy, everyone wants to play and I totally understand – I hated not playing.

“Bradley is another one who is having to be patient, but any player knows that if they cannot be patient, there is always a loan move option.

“When you’re in a squad of 18 to 20 you have to be patient, because if you’re not then you’re probably not at the right club.”

Doswell is not afraid to send players out on loan and Craig McAllister and Shaun Cooper are on the verge of being sent to Eastbourne Borough to get game time as they recover from injury – and it is a fate that could befall Louis John in the next weeks.

United continue their National League campaign on Saturday with a 612-mile round trip to Gateshead, followed by the 412-mile round trip to Wrexham the following weekend.

It comes on the back of a bank holiday weekend of contrasting results at Chester and at home against the Daggers.

Doswell said: “If someone had given us three points over the weekend we would have snapped their hand off.

“Chester was always going to be a difficult trip – they beat Daggers 3-0 at their place – but it was a strange game against us.

“If you took out the first six minutes and the last six minutes we pretty much dominated the proceedings in-between.

“I have no complaints – we played ok, and we did not come home in the depths of despair.”

He added: “Then, after travelling all that distance, going on to beat Daggers was a brilliant performance.

“Daggers are a full-time side, very fit, very good and young. They beat Wrexham on Saturday, and Micky [Stephens], who went to watch them, said they were the best team he’d seen so far this season.”