Sutton’s pre-season continued with a defeat at the Laithwaite Community Stadium against a Woking side who had much the better of things from start to finish and could have won by a wider margin, although they only made the game safe in the closing stages when Padraig Amond scored against Sutton for the second pre-season running.

U’s lined up with Scott Kashket in attack alongside Harry Smith, the former Wycombe, Crewe and Gillingham striker having completed his signing earlier in the day, while with Ben Goodliffe and Omar Sowunmi still injured Craig Eastmond and Joe Kizzi formed the central defensive pairing, with Ollie Khinda starting at right back. There was good news, though, as Sam Hart, who had limped off with a knee injury at Farnborough, was able to take his place at left back.

Jack Rose had already been well placed to save one acrobatic volley from Reece Grego-Cox when he was beaten in the 11th minute, powerless to prevent Jim Kellermann’s shot from just inside the area finding the net after taking a deflection which wrong-footed the U’s keeper. 

Sutton did little to trouble the Woking defence in the first half, one low cross from Josh Coley cleared after Kashket had allowed it to run, and the home side should have led by more at the break as Matt Robinson headed wide at the far post from Grego-Cox’s cross when it seemed easier to score, and Rose brilliantly tipped over a Grego-Cox header from one of three corners with which Woking finished the half.

The second half followed a similar pattern although Woking created fewer chances, Grego-Cox’s ahot on the turn easily saved by Rose. Sutton occasionally looked as though they could threaten, but too often the move broke down before it could cause home keeper Will Jaaskelainen any problems, with the goalkeeper not having a shot to save in the game, and U’s evening was summed up by Rob Milsom’s free kick from a promising attacking position which sailed harmlessly over everyone and out for a goal kick. 

Woking did eventually add a second with just over a minute to go when Amond applied the slightest touch to a cross from the left, the ball drifting inside the far post beyond Rose.

Sutton: J Rose, J Kizzi, S Hart, O Khinda (sub R Milsom H-T) C Eastmond(sub J Taylor 78), C Clay, J Coley  (sub Triallist F 78), C N’Guessan, H Smith (sub H Beautyman 68), S Kashket(sub L Angol H-T), T Fadahunsi(sub H Kasimu 78)