For the second time in two days Sutton came from behind to pick up maximum points and lift themselves above Eastleigh into second place in the National League Football Academy South, four points behind Southend with a game in hand, with the sides due to meet next Wednesday. After Adam Reeves had equalised in first half stoppage time, Rashaad Drysdale (above, taking on a defender in the first half), scored a superb solo goal ten minutes in to the second half, with U’s impressive performance in the second period giving Eastleigh few opportunities to recover.

Sutton, fielding ten of the outfield players who had started Monday’s win against Maidstone, had an early chance when a deep corner landed at the feet of Dan Urpens, whose shot was saved at the near post, but after a couple of Eastleigh shots from the edge of the penalty area had gone over the bar they went ahead when George Cole escaped his minders in the Sutton defence to meet a right wing cross with a close range header past Klevis Muca.

For a while Eastleigh had the better of things as Sutton struggled to get back in to the game, but the closing stages of the first half saw U’s get more of the ball and put the home defence under more pressure, and it was rewarded as the half went in to stoppage time when Reeves climbed highest to head home Jayden Keteku’s left wing corner.

Ten minutes after the break Drysdale, whose pace had troubled Eastleigh throughout, picked the ball up on the right touchline and produced a fine solo run past a string of defenders before hammering a shot in to the net from about ten yards to put U’s in front, and there were few moments when they looked likely to give up their advantage. Indeed they could have won by more as Noah Nzuzi missed a far post header from a corner and Kai McKenzie saw a header from a right wing cross diverted off a defender

Sutton: K Muca, C Lee, L Ashburn, D Urpens, A Reeves, N Nzuzi, R Drysdale, C Bell, K McKenzie(sub G Vorster 80), J Keteku(sub B Sheargold 86), O Bello.

Sutton are back in EFL Youth Alliance action on Saturday at Bromley, kick off 11am at Hayes Lane, before league leaders Southend are the visitors in the National League on Wednesday, kick off 11.30 at Leatherhead Youth FC.