Sutton took full advantage of their game in hand over Dartford to move back to the top of National League Academy South, and improved their goal difference with a convincing win at bottom of the table Boreham Wood. The win puts U’s two points ahead of Dartford with both teams having four games to play, but Sutton now with a goal difference advantage of three which could and probably should have been more but for some wasteful finishing near the end.

Sutton started on the front foot and inside the first five minutes Ronny Ruiz and Omotolani Bello both had shots blocked in the six yard box and Bobby Sheargold’s follow up was saved by the goalkeeper, but U’s didn’t have to wait long for the breakthrough as Noah Nzuzi met an Adam Reeves corner with a header that crossed the line before being scrambled away.

U’s continued to have the better of things but were unable to add to the lead until ten minutes before half time, and then there was a touch of fortune as Rashaad Drysdale collected a pass from Kai McKenzie, checked back and hit a left foot shot which had no great power but took a huge deflection to roll in to the net with the goalkeeper stranded going the wrong way. Seven minutes later he was going the wrong way again, this time beaten by a penalty from Drysdale who had been brought down on the right of the area.

The second half began with Sutton still on top as Dan Urpens, fresh from ninety minutes for the first team in the adjacent stadium pitch on Saturday, powered a header down in to the net from another Reeves corner, but a lapse of concentration from U’s just after the hour mark allowed Boreham Wood to pull a goal back, a player cutting in from the left and beating Klevis Muca at his near post.

Any fears that U’s might lose their control were immediately calmed as McKenzie twice went close before firing in a shot that the goalkeeper could only push in to the path of Sheargold who had a simple finish. Urpens made it six with another header from a corner, this time directing his effort from Ruiz’s flag kick across the goalkeeper and inside the far post, and two minutes later a home defender misplaced and overhit a back pass leaving his goalkeeper stranded as the ball ended up in the net.

Several chances went begging in the last ten minutes thanks to some wayward shooting and over elaboration around the penalty area, and Muca made one excellent save with his legs near the end when a home striker went clear.

Sutton: K Muca, C Lee, G Katana, R Ruiz, D Urpens, A Reeves, R Drysdale(sub G Vorster 76), N Nzuzi(sub D Ashia 70), K McKenzie(sub J Obarotimi 76), B Sheargold, O Bello. Subs n/u J Coombes, T Salaam.

Sutton are at the VBS Community Stadium on Wednesday at home to Welling United, who U’s beat thanks to a single Mehmet Halim goal in December’s reverse fixture but who are in mid-table with games in hand over sides above them. Kick off is 2pm, admission free. Dartford are away to Dagenham & Redbridge at the same time.