Match Report

Sutton edged a point closer to manager Matt Gray’s 51-point target, but would have gone past it but for a superb piece of defending from Hartlepool defender Gary Liddle, who denied David Ajiboye what would have been a winner with virtually the last kick of the game as he headed Ajiboye’s goalbound shot over the bar from inside the six-yard box. It would have rewarded a strong finish to the game from U’s, but would also have been harsh on Hartlepool, who played their part in a game that entertained the 2000+ crowd.

Sutton made the perfect start as they looked to back up last week’s win against Torquay, as Isaac Alaofe closed down goalkeeper Ben Killip as he controlled a back pass from Timi Odusina, and his challenge on the keeper saw Killip’s attempted clearance rebound off Olaofe in to the roof of the net and give the on loan striker his first Sutton goal in unusual circumstances.

There was almost a thrilling second soon afterwards as Ajiboye picked up possession deep in his own half after U’s had defended a corner, and set off on a superb run that took him past three defenders only for Killip to make a good save as Ajiboye tried to lift the ball over him. Omar Bugiel’s dipping volley seconds later wasn’t that far over the top, while Olaofe, having been put clear by a well-judged pass from Ajiboye as U’s again countered having defended a set piece, was forced wide by Macaulay Southam-Hales and could only send his shot wide of the near post.

Nik Tzanev had little to do in the first half, well protected by a defence in which the returning Ben Goodliffe twice threw himself in the way of goalbound shots, but he was busier in the second half and for a moment looked in trouble as Southam-Hales overhit a cross from the right, but the ball landed on the roof of the net. The keeper was helpless soon afterwards, though, when it was Hartlepool’s turn to counter as U’s looked for a foul on Goodliffe, and a crossfield pass from Josh Hawkes released Luke Molyneux on the right. He teed up the onrushing Gavin Holohan who from just inside the area clipped a first time shot in to the top corner of the net.

Hartlepool soon introduced former U’s striker Gime Toure , and from then it was a game that could go either way, Tzanev doing well to claim a dangerous low cross at the near post, while Bugiel and Ben Wyatt saw long range shots go wide. Inside the last ten minutes, though, U’s had the chances to take all three points. With his first touch after replacing Olaofe, Craig Eastmond headed Rob Milsom’s corner goalwards but Harry Beautyman was unable to make contact inside the six yard box, and then the increasingly threatening Will Randall (above) chipped a cross to the far post where Beautyman, at full stretch, volleyed back across Killip only for the ball to rebound off the post.

Craig Dundas came on for his 543rd appearance, moving level with Paul McKinnon in sixth place in the all time list, and headed a Milsom corner just over before, deep in stoppage time, Beautyman played in Ajiboye, who found space on the left edge of the penalty area to fire in a shot that was heading for the net until Liddle’s spectacular intervention, the final whistle coming as soon as Hartlepool cleared the corner to signal a third consecutive draw between the sides at Sutton.

Hartlepool: B Killip, M Southam-Hales, M Kitching, G Liddle, T Odusina, G Holohan, R Donaldson(sub G Mafuta 80), N Featherstone, R Harker(sub G Toure 62), L Molyneux (sub A Keena 70), J Hawkes. Subs n/u K Richardson, M Beeney. Booked: Hawkes, Kitching.