Sutton’s week of contrasting fortunes took an upward swing as Brandon Njoku’s superb header five minutes in to stoppage time gave U’s a notable victory against a play-off chasing Scunthorpe side. Following last week’s fine win at Hartlepool, Saturday’s capitulation at home to Morecambe had come as a surprise but U’s bounced back from that disappointment, and from conceding an equaliser within two minutes of taking the lead at the Attis Stadium, to pick up three points that moved them nine clear of the relegation zone, the same margin that separates Scunthorpe from eighth placed Southend.

With Junior Eccleston beginning his four match ban after his red card on Saturday, Hayden Muller reverted to central defence as Jake Taylor returned from his concussion lay off, while Lewis Simper and Njoku dropped to the bench with Jayden Harris and Charlie Bell brought in to the starting line-up.

On an uneven pitch and in blustery conditions the first half was an uninspiring and scrappy contest in which possession was often given away by both sides and the ball spent a lot of time in the air. There was little goalmouth activity at either end until the last five minutes, when Scunthorpe should have gone ahead as a ball through the middle was allowed to run all the way to Connor Smith, but with just Jack Sims to beat he pulled his shot wide. Kai Jennings then had Sutton’s only on target shot of the half but it was comfortably dealt with by home goalkeeper Louis Jones, while Jermaine Francis met a Bell cross with an acrobatic, though inaccurate, overhead kick.

Scunthorpe made a change at half time, bringing on Pat Jones, signed from Chester earlier in the day, in place of Smith, and the first ten minutes of the second half saw more entertainment than in the whole of the first half as Sutton went ahead five minutes after the break. Bell’s excellent pass sent Francis through (above), and although a heavy touch gave Louis Jones the chance to come out and block his shot, the ball popped up nicely for Osman Foyo to follow in and score.

The lead lasted just two minutes, however, as after Francis had deflected a goalbound shot wide, the resulting corner from Connor Roberts was headed against the bar by Andrew Boyce, and Branden Horton headed the rebound back across goal for Danny Whitehall to hook in from close range.

It was Whitehall’s last action as, having been booked in the first half and then involved in a clash with Muller early in the second, he was replaced by Leo Farrell. Without Scunthorpe ever dominating it was Sims who was the busier keeper in the second half, making good saves from Roberts and Zane Westbrooke, while Pat Jones volleyed over after Kwaku Donkor, who otherwise had a fine game, miscontrolled a cross from Roberts.

U’s brought on Njoku for Francis, and had their moments of promise as Bell and Jennings both sent shots off target and Foyo shot wide from a tight angle. The tall striker was replaced in stoppage time by David Ogbonna, and within two minutes his one involvement proved decisive as he collected a pass down the right from Donkor, outpaced Zain Tahir to the by-line and fired in a cross that was met with a superbly controlled downward header by Njoku for a winner that was wildly celebrated on the pitch, as well as off it by the 37 Sutton supporters who had made the long midweek trip.

Sutton: J Sims, K Donkor, B Topallaj, H Muller, E Pruti, J Taylor, K Jennings, C Bell, O Foyo(sub D Ogbonna 90+3), J Harris, J Francis(Sub B Njoku 70). Subs n/u L Simper, A Nadesan, D Urpens, D Eze, C Haigh. Booked: Taylor, Jennings.

Scunthorpe: L Jones, J Starbuck(sub R Barrows 72), B Horton, O Ewing(sub A Beestin 71), Z Tahir, A Boyce, C Smith(sub P Jones H-T), Z Westbrooke, D Whitehall(sub L Farrell 56), J Rowley. Subs n/u J Belehouan, K Hurst, R Mahady. Booked: Whitehall, Roberts.

Referee: Garreth Rhodes

Attendance: 2,611(37 away)

Photo Credit: Paul Loughlin