Sutton's winning pre-season run came to an end in sweltering conditions at the VBS Community Stadium with a draw against League One Charlton which might have been a victory had late pressure turned in to a goal.
Considering the conditions it was a reasonably entertaining game, with the first half seeing both sides threaten on the flanks, with Will Randall impressing for Sutton and sending one cross cum shot which went just past the post, while Enzio Boldewijn's cross from the right was tipped away under pressure by goalkeeper Joe Wollacott. Charlie Kirk was Charlton's most dangerous player, and after firing in two crosses, one of which was headed away at full stretch by Ben Goodliffe and the other held well by Brad House, he came closest to opening the scoring on the stroke of half time when he collected a cross from Jayden Stockley on the edge of the penalty area and sent in a dipping shot which House did well to tip over the bar.
Early in the second half Randall again found himself in a promising position after good work by Kouassi but his cross was scrambled away at the near post, and it was Kirk who again almost set up a goal with a cross which was headed powerfully down but wide by Ryan Inniss.
On the hour, Tope Fadahunsi, who had impressed sufficiently as a triallist on Tuesday at Dulwich to be added to U's close season signings, replaced Thomas with the bulk of the other changes coming with quarter of an hour left, Luke Gambin making his first appearance as an official Sutton player having signed before the game, and Sutton enjoyed a good spell as Ali Smith saw a long range shot saved by Wollacott, and was denied by the keeper again on the end of a fine move involving Josh Neufville and Fadahunsi. Neufville saw another dangerous cross flash across goal, and also forced a near post clearance from a Charlton defender before coming close to a late winner when he drifted in from the left but saw his shot diverted just wide.
Charlton had also changed the majority of their side at the same time as U's, only Wollacott playing the full 90 minutes, but House had a relatively untroubled second half as the game ended goalless.
Sutton: B House, J Barden(sub J Kizzi 74), R Milsom(sub S Hart 74), C Eastmond(sub A Smith 74), B Goodliffe(sub T Ogudega 74), L John (sub C Rowe 74), E Boldewijn(sub L Gambin 74), K Kouassi(sub C Dundas 81), K Thomas(sub T Fadahunsi 74), H Beautyman, W Randall(sub J Neufville 74)