Sutton United 0 Stevenage 0
Sutton and Stevenage battled to a point apiece in a game that had plenty of endeavour and commitment but few goalscoring chances for either side. The result moved Sutton to within two points of the play-offs, while Stevenage lost ground on League Two leaders Leyton Orient, but the outcome was a fair one with defences on top for much of the afternoon.
Sutton had to change the defensive line that has served them so well since Christmas, Louis John sidelined by injury so Joe Kizzi reverting to centre back and Enzio Boldewijn installed at right back, but Jack Rose had a relatively quiet afternoon and with visiting debutant goalkeeper Jokull Andresson little busier the ultimate scoreline was hardly a surprise.
Referee Thomas Kirk was in the action inside the first minute, booking Stevenage's Jordan Roberts for a heavy challenge on Will Randall with only 40 seconds played, but it was Randall who had the afternoon's first shot, sending in a fierce 20 yard effort that Andresson beat away. At the other end Jamie Reid showed good control on his chest before turning and shooting low, but Rose gathered the effort comfortably and for the rest of the half it was Sutton who looked the likelier to score, Donovan Wilson and David Ajiboye combining only for Wilson's attempted pass across goal to be cut out, and Kizzi heading over when he might have tested Andresson. U's did come close in first half stoppage time, though, when Andresson flapped at a Rob Milsom corner but redeemed himself by blocking Ben Goodliffe's shot at point blank range.
The second half continued in similar vein, with both defences having the answers to any questions asked. U's wasted a promising free kick as Milsom's low shot went in to the side netting at the near post, but at the back U's were sufficiently in command for Stevenage manager Steve Evans, who along with his assistant Paul Raynor was booked during the second half for protests at various decisions, to make a triple change in attack on the hour mark. It gave the visitors a greater threat, and whereas in the first half it was Sutton the likelier to score it was now Stevenage who looked more capable of grabbing a winner. Daryl Horgan headed over from a good position before Alex Gilbey's shot went wide but only just evaded the lunges of Danny Rose and Josh March.
That was probably the closest they came to a goal, though, with March putting a late header harmlessly in to the arms of Rose, and with Sutton never having the cutting edge to trouble the Stevenage back line the game finished with the goalless outcome that had appeared increasingly inevitable.
Sutton: J Rose, J Kizzi, R Milsom, D Ajiboye, B Goodliffe, C Eastmond, E Boldewijn, A Smith, O Bugiel(sub L Angol 84), D Wilson(sub M Dennis 72), W Randall. Subs n/u S Hart, C Rowe, H Beautyman, B House, K Kouassi. Booked: Boldewijn
Stevenage: J Andresson, L James-Wildin, M Clark, J Reeves(sub J Forster-Caskey 45+1), C Piergianni, J Tomkinson, M Bostwick, Jamie Reid(sub J March 60) L Norris(sub D Rose 59), A Gilbey, J Roberts(sub D Horgan 60) Subs n/u A Chapman, J Taylor, Josh Reid. Booked: Roberts, Forster-Caskey
Referee: Thomas Kirk
Attendance: 3,167 (539 away)