Sutton made it nine wins from their last ten games in the National League Academy South as Bobby Sheargold came off the substitutes’ bench to score a fine winner with eight minutes to go after an own goal by Dan Urpens had cancelled out Rashaad Drysdale’s first half penalty.

Both sides had good chances in the first twenty minutes, with Kai McKenzie hooking over from close range for Sutton and an Eastleigh striker also shooting too high from a low right wing cross. On the half hour Ronny Ruiz fired in a 20-yard shot which was pushed away by the goalkeeper, and when McKenzie returned the rebound Drysdale’s header was deflected wide. From the resulting corner the referee ruled that Luke Ashburn had been fouled as he tried to reach the ball at the far post, and Drysdale converted the penalty.

Sutton came close to adding a second early in the second half when some fine skill and a cross from Drysdale led to a goalmouth scramble in which Eastleigh cleared the ball off the line, but the visitors were always a threat on the break and midway through the half broke down the right, with a low cross from the by-line being turned in to his own net at the near post by Urpens as he tried to clear.

The defender looked to make amends immediately with a strong run from deep to set up an attack that ended with U’s being awarded a free kick just outside the penalty area, and Ruiz’s shot came back off the post, with Jayden Keteku following in but mis-hitting his shot sufficiently for a defender to get back and clear.

Eastleigh threatened again when a forward cut in from the left and shot just beyond the far post, but it was Sutton who grabbed the winner with eight minutes to go when a superb over-arm throw from Klevis Muca found Sheargold inside the Eastleigh half, and he beat two defenders to create space before sending a powerful low shot just inside the post from twenty yards.

Drysdale almost added a third when he lobbed the ball over the advancing keeper but past the post, and Keteku took too long to get a shot away after being put in on the left of the penalty area, but Eastleigh were unable to find a second equaliser and played the last couple of minutes a player short after a defender picked up a second yellow card for pulling back James Fennelow.

Sutton: K Muca, C Lee (sub J Coombes H-T), L Ashburn(sub G Katana 83), D Ashia(sub B San-Norton H-T), A Reeves, D Urpens, R Drysdale, J Keteku, K McKenzie(sub J Fennelow 68), R Ruiz, O Bello(sub B Sheargold 68).

With league leaders Dartford also winning 2-1, against Oxford City, U’s remain a point behind the Kent team with two games in hand. It’s back to EFL action on Saturday at home to Luton Town (Leatherhead Youth FC, 10.30am) before games in the National League Academy next week at home to Woking on Monday and away to Dorking Wanderers on Wednesday – check the website for details of venues and kick off times.