Sutton fell to defeat at Brunton Park thanks to three first half goals, but results elsewhere mean that U’s National League future is assured with Brackley and Morecambe joining Braintree and Truro in being condemned to relegation. It was ultimately a comfortable win for Carlisle, but Sutton will be frustrated that having started the brighter of the two teams, they conceded a soft goal after losing possession on the edge of their own penalty area, and then as Carlisle struck twice more before the interval to take command, U’s had chances to halt their progress but were wild in their shooting, with supporters on the terrace behind the goal in more danger than home goalkeeper Gabe Breeze.

U’s gave a full league debut to academy midfielder Ronny Ruiz while Jayden Harris, Brandon Njoku and Jermaine Francis returned, Edon Pruti, David Ogbonna, Davide Rodari and Toby Byron dropping to the substitutes’ bench, and the first ten minutes were played largely in the Carlisle half as U’s made a positive start. However the promise did not last long as an attempt to play the ball out from the back was intercepted by Callum Whelan, and eventually worked to Harvey MacAdam, whose low shot from the edge of the penalty area squeezed past Jack Sims and inside his left hand post.

Midway through the half MacAdam had a second, this time rising unchallenged to plant a downward header past Sims from Whelan’s right wing free kick, and Sutton were already left with a lot to do. They responded well, though, and Francis and Lewis Simper both worked themselves in to good shooting positions but then failed to get their shots on target when both would have hoped to do better. Besart Topallaj then ran on to a crossfield pass from Harris and had a clear run to the edge of the penalty area, but again was wayward with his final shot. His opposite number at left back, Ryan Galvin, then showed the way after Njoku was tackled by Morgan Feeney, and as Carlisle attacked quickly Regan Linney put Galvin to hammer a shot high in to the net.

Although MacAdam had grabbed the two goals, Linney was also an impressive contributor for Carlisle and he almost scored the goal he deserved with a low shot from just outside the penalty area that Sims pushed away, Georgie Kelly sliding in on the rebound but seeing his effort smack against the post.

With the gusty wind more in their favour in the second half Sutton could have hoped to make inroads in to the Carlisle lead, but instead it was the home side who thought they’d gone further in front within five minutes as former U’s favourite David Ajiboye bundled the ball in after Feeney had flicked on Whelan’s corner, but the effort was ruled out for a Carlisle player being in an offside position and judged to have impeded Sims. The inaccuracy that had troubled Sutton when attacking the Warwick Road end in the first half now afflicted the home side, shooting towards their supporters, as Kelly lifted the ball over the bar at full stretch from a low left wing cross and Whelan also wildly off target after dispossessing Ruiz, who otherwise showed up well in his first start, on the edge of the penalty area.

Sutton managed a shot on target in the 75th minute when Harris forced a corner goalwards but Breeze saved comfortably, while substitute David Ogbonna also brought a save out of the keeper with a low shot, but Carlisle rarely looked in danger and the chances still continued to come at the other end as Dan Urpens produced a superb tackle to deny Ajiboye after one of those slicing runs that Sutton supporters are so familiar with, and Eccleston then cleared brilliantly off the line when Josh Williams met a left wing cross that looked a certain goal until Eccleston somehow managed to get it away.

Sutton: J Sims, K Donkor(sub D Urpens 63), B Topalla (sub T Byron 83), J Eccleston, H Muller, R Ruiz, J Taylor, L Simper, B Njoku, J Harris, J Francis (sub D Ogbonna 61). Subs n/u D Rodari, E Pruti, D Eze, C Haigh. Booked: Simper, Taylor, Ruiz, Urpens, Harris.

Carlisle: G Breeze, J Ellis, R Galvin(sub C Harper 85), T Thomas, M Feeney, H McAdam, D Ajiboye(sub E Yeboah 77), C Whelan (sub J Williams 77), G Kelly (sub C Wyke 77), R Linney (sub A Davies 85), S Wearne. Subs n/u B Mugabi, A Mair. Booked: Whelan, Ajiboye.

Referee: Declan Brown

Attendance: 6,296(91 away)