Sutton went to the top of the National League Academy South Division with an impressive win against an Oxford City side who would themselves have gone top with victory.

In the first quarter of the game it was Oxford who had the better of things, enjoying plenty of possession but unable to find a way through a solid Sutton defence, but against the run of play U’s took control with two goals in little more than a minute midway through the first half. Rashaad Drysdale’s cross shot was tipped away by the Oxford goalkeeper for the first of three corners in quick succession, the third of which resulted in a throw in, and when Dan Urpens launched the ball in to the penalty area it was cleared as far as Drysdale who hammered a shot back past the keeper with the aid of a slight deflection. Having scored the first, Drysdale then created the second a minute later, his pass allowing Kai McKenzie to lift the ball over the advancing keeper in to the net.

Oxford came close to pulling a goal back just before half time when a striker just failed to make contact with a low cross from the right, but the resulting goal kick almost led to a third Sutton goal as Klevis Muca’s long clearance carried all the way through to Jayden Keteku, but he took slightly too long to get his shot away and a defender was able to divert the ball for a corner.

Sutton did score a third on the hour when McKenzie intercepted a clearance on the edge of the penalty area and set up Drysdale, who was pushed over as he tried to work a shooting position and McKenzie scored from the resulting penalty.

McKenzie saw a low shot saved almost immediately afterwards and Drysdale was also denied by the keeper, but with ten minutes to go Oxford were gifted a way back in to the game when Muca came outside his penalty area to try and reach a misplaced Noah Nzuzi pass and fouled an Oxford player, leading to a free kick which was despatched impressively in to the far corner of the net. Two half chances went just wide as Oxford threatened to make the closing stages nervous for U’s, but Sutton survived and but for a trio of superb saves by the Oxford keeper to keep out shots from Bobby Sheargold, Drysdale and Omotolani Bello U’s would have restored the three goal margin.

Victory puts Sutton two points ahead of Southend with a game in hand, with Oxford City, Dartford (who play Southend on Wednesday), Eastleigh and Slough all within six points of U’s in the league table.

Sutton: K Muca, C Lee(sub J Eccleston 66), A Reeves, D Ashia(sub R Ruiz 85), L Ashburn, D Urpens(sub J Coombes 77), O Bello, N Nzuzi, K McKenzie, J Keteku(sub B Sheargold 66), R Drysdale.

Wednesday evening sees U’s in action again in the semi final of the National League Academy Cup away to Slough Town, who won both league meetings but who are six points behind U’s in the league table. The game is at Slough’s Arbour Park ground, kick off 7pm. The winners play FC Halifax Town in the final at St Georges Park on Wednesday 20th May.