Sutton made it two wins out of two in the pre-season programme as two goals in three second half minutes earned a victory over League One Reading in blustery conditions at the VBS Community Stadium. Both goals came from triallists, the second from the winger who had opened the scoring at Havant on Tuesday, and came just before U’s made wholesale changes on the hour mark. U’s fielded all five triallists who had featured at Havant plus a sixth who entered the fray at half time and helped himself to the first goal twelve minutes after coming on.

Both sides enjoyed better fortunes when playing in to the unseasonably strong wind, and Steve Arnold had to make smart saves from Nesta Guinness-Walker and Femi Azeez, but the visitors’ best chance fell to Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan, who ran on to a pass from Kelvin Abrefa and rounded Arnold but was unable to hit the target as he sent his shot behind the goal. A header from a corner also flew just wide as Reading enjoyed the better of the first half.

Former U’s goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis was only tested by free kicks from Harry Beautyman and Rob Milsom as Sutton struggled to create clear chances with the wind on their backs, with the best chance going begging when Tope Fadahunsi slightly overhit a pass to the left wing triallist who would have had a clear run on goal.

U’s had to make a change midway through the half when Omar Sowunmi came off to be replaced by Ollie Khinda, the academy graduate again impressing at right back as Joe Kizzi moved in to the middle.

U’s made two changes at half time, Harry Smith and the triallist replacing two of the first half triallists, but it was Reading who came close to breaking the deadlock when a low cross from Azeez deflected off Harry Beautyman and Arnold reacted well to tip the ball over the bar. Having survived that chance Sutton took the lead when the left wing triallist attacked on the left before squaring a pass for the recently arrived triallist to beat a player before scoring with a low shot that deflected past substitute Reading goalkeeper Jokull Andresson.

Three minutes later and the left winger had his second goal in as many games, again attacking on the left before firing in a shot that went in off the underside of the bar.

That was the cue for U’s to replace the eight players who had been on since the start, with Reading changing their entire line-up at the same time, but chances after the changes were few and far between, with Jack Rose making one good save down to his left and at the other end Lee Angol crowded out before he could get a shot away as Sutton closed out an encouraging victory against higher ranked opposition.

Sutton: S Arnold(sub J Rose 60), J Kizzi(sub C Dundas 60), R Milsom(sub S Hart 60), O Sowunmi(sub O Khinda 23), Triallist A(sub B Goodliffe 60), Triallist C (sub C Clay 60), Triallist D(sub Triallist F H-T), C N’Guessan(sub C Eastmond 60), Triallist E(sub H Smith H-T), H Beautyman(sub L Angol 60), T Fadahunsi (sub J Coley 60).

Triallist letters correspond to those used on Tuesday eg Triallist A for this game was also triallist A on Tuesday. Triallist F did not play on Tuesday, and triallist B from Tuesday did not play today.