Sutton picked up a first Enterprise National League win of the season, and at the same time inflicted Carlisle’s first defeat, with a stirring victory to end a month of testing fixtures in the best way. A game that started slowly swung Sutton’s way either side of half time as Ashley Nadesan missed a glorious chance at the end of the first half before Edon Pruti’s header four minutes after the break put U’s in front, and David Ogbonna’s delightfully taken goal eight minutes from the end provided insurance against a late Carlisle comeback which only produced Georgie Kelly’s stoppage time effort.

There was a debut for Noa Boutin, signed on loan from Bournemouth, and he lined up in the left wing back position with Junior Eccleston on the right as U’s reverted to a central defensive trio of Pruti, Jack Taylor and Harry Phipps, while up front Ashley Nadesan partnered Brandon Njoku.

It was a game that started slowly with neither side able to gain control, and though Carlisle probably had more possession they were unable to trouble a commanding Sutton defence. Regan Linney sent one shot too high from twenty yards, and when he had a chance closer in five minutes before half time Jack Sims was off his line quickly to save. Sutton had similarly failed to trouble Gabriel Breeze in the Carlisle goal, but just before half time they should have been in front as Jayden Harris crossed low from the left and the unmarked Nadesan managed to turn the ball wide from six yards out when it looked easier to score.

Before the break Breeze made a good save to his left from Harris’s 20-yard shot, and having finished the half strongly Sutton came out for the second period in similar fashion, and within four minutes Jack Wadham’s corner from the left was headed down and in by Pruti.

As U’s looked to press home the advantage Nadesan broke down the right and sent a pass in low to Njoku, but under pressure from two Carlisle defenders he could only shoot over the bar. The momentum was with Sutton, and Breeze had to paw away a Phipps header before going low to his right to keep out a low Harris effort after Njoku had set him up. That was Njoku’s last involvement as he limped off with cramp, but substitute David Ogbonna wasted little time in making an impact and within four minutes of coming on he took advantage of a slip by the otherwise impressive Terell Thomas, who failed to deal with a long Sims clearance and allowed Ogbonna in behind him to lift the ball over the advancing Breeze.

Carlisle exerted some late pressure, with former Sutton winger David Ajiboye, who had come on as a substitute, seeing a flashing header tipped over by Sims. From the resulting corner Nadesan was in the right place to head off the line from Thomas’s looping header, and as Carlisle continued to press Kelly hit the outside of the post. The substitute did eventually fire home after Thomas had knocked a cross in to his path, and Sutton had to survive a frantic scramble in the last of the seven additional minutes as Carlisle forced one last corner, but when the ball fell to Linney on the edge of the box his shot flew well over the bar and Sutton were able to celebrate their victory.

Sutton: J Sims, J Eccleston, N Boutin, J Taylor, H Phipps, E Pruti, J Wadham(sub S Odelusi 63), M Dabre(sub L Simper 63), B Njoku (sub D Ogbonna 78), A Nadesan, J Harris. Subs n/u D Aziaya, J White, A Jones, K Crichlow.

Carlisle: G Breeze, A Davies, C Harper, T Thomas, B Mugabi, H MacAdam(sub J Grant 68), S Wearne, C Whelan(sub G Kelly 55), L Armstrong(sub D Ajiboye 69), R Linney, J Ellis. Subs n/u H Lewis, A Hayden, S Murray, J Williams. Booked: Wearne.

Referee: Darren Drysdale

Attendance: 2,507 (599 away).

Photo Credit: Paul Loughlin