Two goals in the span of a minute saw Sutton United rescue a point at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium, stealing a draw from the grasp of relegation rivals Morecambe.
Miguel Azeez drew first blood in the second minute of first half stoppage time when a deep cross from Lewis Payne met the right foot of the former Arsenal man, who sent a pinpoint volley past Tommy Reid and give Morecambe the advantage at the break, and the Shrimps took this momentum into the second half with the crucial second goal coming just three minutes after the restart.
A quick break saw Azeez race forward and pick out Ben Tollitt, who laid it off to Cain who took aim and arrowed a low shot into the bottom corner to give Sutton a mountain to climb.
However, Chris Agutter’s side took a big leap up that mountain when Junior Eccleston was taken out by Rolando Aarons in the box, allowing Lewis Simper to send Jamal Blackman the wrong way and halve the deficit with 20 minutes to go, before substitute Ashley Nadesan completed the comeback a minute later when Hayden Muller’s cross met the head of the striker who glanced his effort into the back of the net.
A point in Lancashire has seen Agutter guide his side to level on points with Aldershot Town in 20th, an important step having taken over with the U’s five points adrift, and will be looking to extend the unbeaten run to give games with the visit of FC Halifax Town on Saturday.
Three changes to the side that beat Eastleigh last time out saw Brandon Njoku and Will Tizzard return to the starting XI, along with Jake Taylor coming in for his Sutton debut after signing from Eastleigh on the eve of the clash with the Spitfires.
After a Remembrance Ceremony took place in tribute to our fallen soldiers – the second of which for Sutton after doing so in their own Remembrance Matchday against AFC Telford United – the game got underway with Morecambe coming out the blocks quickest.
Some early pressure from the hosts saw Payne’s cross parried by Reid at his near post, with Tollitt going close from the resulting corner, though the U’s were able to clear their lines.
The Shrimps wouldn’t let their dominance subside though, with Ben Williams heading Azeez’s looping free kick wide of the target, shortly before Edon Pruti – captaining the side on his return from a facial injury on Wednesday night – headed away another dangerous corner, though debutant Taylor had to be alert to clear an instant response from the hosts.
Morecambe continued their onslaught of early pressure with Junior Eccleston doing enough to prevent a sliding through ball from meeting former Newcastle United winger Aarons, with Pruti again having to head away a deep corner from the hosts, before another set piece – a sixth in the first 15 minutes – saw Will Tizzard clear a header off the line.
The U’s looked to get out the other side of what proved to be one-way traffic during the opening quarter-of-an-hour, and led to their first shot of the game as some neat interplay on the left flank between Simper and Eccleston led to Kai Jennings working the ball back onto the opposite wing, where David Ogbonna cut inside before seeing his low drive blocked by Williams and into the path of Muller, who dragged the rebound wide of the target.
Ashvir Singh Johal’s side responded well though with yet another corner leading to Tollitt trying his luck with a powerful volley on the edge of the box that was well blocked, before Jennings blasted an effort over the crossbar at the other end minutes later.
Morecambe maintained their dominance as the first half wore on, with Aarons seeing a deep cross fly inches wide of the far post with no one there to meet it, before another deep cross saw Tollitt go close for a second time, heading an effort that Reid was able to collect.
Sutton soon grew into it though, and displayed the sort of quality they are capable of with a couple of glorious opportunities just after the half-hour mark.
First, Jack Taylor found himself in unfamiliar territory, picking up the ball in acres of space 30-yards from goal and opted to have a go himself, arrowing a curling effort that whistled inches wide of the top corner, before Sutton produced a wonderful passing move that saw them nicely work it to the right flank. Tizzard – in a similar position to where he scored his dramatic winner against Farnham Town – danced past a couple of defenders before sliding the ball out to Ogbonna, who whipped a fizzing effort that flew inches wide of the target.
As the half reached the interval, things took a turn for the worse for Agutter’s side, with Njoku forced to go off on the stroke of half time, with the striker hobbling off while clutching his arm, and was replaced by Nadesan.
Unfortunately, Morecambe struck before the former Gillingham man could have an impact, with Azeez firing a low volley past Reid in the second minute of added time to send the Shrimps into the break ahead.
A half time switch for the second 45 saw Jayden Harris replace Tizzard in an evident signal of intent from Agutter, who made an important attacking change in their quest for a leveller.
Harris was instantly involved in the action as Sutton mirrored their opponents’ start to the first half, with a looping cross from Simper being flicked on by the U’s number 23 and into the path of Eccleston, who toe poked it wide via a slight deflection.
This was all the visitors could muster before Morecambe dealt another deadly blow though, with Cain picking up the ball on the edge of the box before drilling a low shot past Reid to notch the Shrimps’ second of the afternoon.
Proceedings subsequently saw clear chances dry up slightly, with Morecambe content with their current situation as opposed to Sutton’s desperate need to create a much-needed bit of magic. Ogbonna came closest for the visitors, blasting an effort over the top before seeing a looping shot punched away by Jamal Blackman, and came either side of two excellent chances for the hosts.
First, Cain came ever so close to doubling his tally when he forced Reid into an outstanding fingertip stop to divert his fizzing effort onto the crossbar, and as followed by Tollitt firing wide of the target moments later.
As the clock ticked into the final 20 minutes, Sutton managed to the turn the tide, with a bit of luck sparking what turned out to be an outstanding comeback.
Harris threaded a ball through to Eccleston who was taken out by Aarons, and gave the referee no choice but to point to the spot, with Simper making no mistake from 12 yards to pull a goal back against the run of play.
And before the celebrations in the away end had even subsided Sutton were level, with Simper seeing a header tipped away by Blackman and into the path of Songo’o, who cleared the ball high into the air and allowed the U’s to maintain their pressure. Simper and Muller then combined on the edge of the box with the latter standing a ball up into the middle, where Nadesan was there to head home a leveller, and inject the visitors with momentum at the perfect time.
Simper drilled a powerful shot from distance that was blocked seconds after the equaliser, and caused Morecambe to frantically clear their lines in an attempt to avoid completely throwing away their two-goal advantage, before Tollitt almost restored their lead with two minutes to go, being denied by a crucial last-ditch challenge from Pruti.
Five minutes of stoppage time then afforded Sutton one last gasp at stealing a win from their grasp of the Shrimps, and Nadesan will have been gutted not add a second to his tally with two chances at the death.
Simper’s deep free kick fell to the forward who’s effort almost trickled over the line if not for a late hand from Blackman, before some superb work from Eccleston saw him reach the byline before cutting it back to the middle, where Nadesan was unable to squeeze the ball on the inside of the post, but had nonetheless done enough to seal a valuable point.
Morecambe: Blackman (GK); Payne, Kacurri, Azeez, Cain, Muskwe, Aarons (Sutton 81’), Williams, Tollitt, Nuttall, Songo’o (C)
Sutton United: Reid (GK); Simper, Pruti (C), Tizzard (Harris 46’), Taylor, Ogbonna, Taylor, Eccleston, Jennings (Woodyard 85’), Njoku (Nadesan 44’), Muller
Photo Credit: Paul Loughlin
