Chris Agutter’s first game as Sutton manager ended in a goalless draw at a blustery Braintree, a result that left both sides still in the bottom four of the table. Played in a howling gale and between two sides at the wrong end of the table it was scarcely surprising that the game wasn’t a classic, and while Braintree will be the more frustrated at not breaking the deadlock, particularly in a twenty minute spell either side of half time when they had U’s penned in their own half, Sutton defended well and towards the end might even have completed a smash and grab victory when Brandon Njoku’s shot brought a good save from home goalkeeper Mason Terry.
The new manager’s first team wasn’t greatly different from that which had played against Yeovil on Tuesday, Liam Vincent and Siju Odelusi brought in to the starting line-up instead of Noa Boutin and Njoku, and U’s started quite brightly. Edon Pruti came forward to find himself free in the penalty area and send in a shot that was on its way to the far corner when it was blocked by George Langston, and Lewis Simper went clear only to be crowded out by Jacob Pinnington and Aidan Francis-Clarke before he could get his shot away.
Simper also had a twenty yard shot turned aside by Terry, but as the half went on Braintree enjoyed more possession and although David Aziaya was not directly tested there were several scrambles in or around the penalty area. The closest to a goal came when Chay Cooper played a short corner to Terrell Works, the midfielder on loan from Fulham for whom he had been so influential in the 7-0 thrashing of U’s in the National League Cup, a fierce shot was heading for the net until Ashley Nadesan’s head diverted it wide for a corner.
Having finished the first half on the back foot, U’s stayed there for the early part of the second half, and Francis-Clarke should have put Braintree ahead when his late run saw him meet Langston’s long throw with a header that went over the bar. Aziaya managed to deny John Akinde at close range when a right wing cross fell for him, and the keeper also made a good low save from Pinnington. Otherwise U’s defended their goal well and often an interception or challenge prevented Braintree having a clear sight of the target.
Although Marley Marshall-Miranda and substitute Tom Blackwell both sent shots wide from distance, there was more threat from U’s as the half went on, particularly after the introduction of David Ogbonna and Njoku, and after an Ogbonna cross had carried through to Aaron Jones, who failed to keep an awkward volley down, Njoku was put in on the right edge of the penalty area but saw his shot beaten away by Terry as both goalkeepers ended up with clean sheets and the teams ended up sharing the points.
Sutton: D Aziaya, A Jones, L Vincent(sub D Ogbonna 63), W Tizzard, J Taylor, E Pruti, S Odelusi(sub C Bell (H-T), L Simper, J Harris, A Nadesan, M Dabre(sub B Njoku 66). Subs n/u D De Silva, N Boutin, J Eccleston, K Eyers. Booked: Tizzard, Bell,Njoku.
Braintree: M Terry, A Francis-Clarke, R Clayton (sub E Thorpe 86), G Langston, F Terry, G Babic, J Pinnington, M Marshall-Miranda, J Akinde (sub L Walker 79), T Works (sub T Blackwell 64), C Cooper. Subs n/u E Omrore, S Kamara, F Hockey, O Davis. Booked: Akinde.
Referee: Isaac Searle
Attendance: 1,042 (90 away)
