Sutton United will face Leeds United in the National League Cup Final, after Eduino Vaz’s final spot-kick secured a penalty shootout victory at Braintree Town.

A goalless 90 minutes saw both sides produce plenty of chances, with Kyreece Lisbie and Nana Boateng both having goals disallowed for offside, and otherwise saw some late pressure from the hosts go unpunished to see the game go to penalties.

The first eight spot-kicks were all converted, and although ex-Iron Jack Sims’ save against Jermaine Francis couldn’t quite set Sutton onto victory just yet, Vaz stepped up after three missed penalties to secure the win, and seal a place in the National League Cup Final.

Victory over the Iron will see the U’s take on Leeds after the Yorkshire-based side overcame Altrincham, and Steve Morison’s side will now be looking to take confidence and momentum into Saturday’s clash with Southend United.

Three changes were made to the side that lost late on at Boston United saw the cup-tied Kain Adom and the injured Jack Taylor, along with Alex Woodyard, replaced by Ryan Jackson, Harry Ransom and Boateng.

It was the hosts who produced the first opening of proceedings after just four minutes, and perhaps should have taken the lead early on. Vaz put his body on the line to get in the way of a Kyreece Lisbie shot from point blank range, but Braintree were able to recycle possession with Tom Blackwell managing to pick out John Akinde, who headed wide from close range, despite being unmarked.

This was followed by two excellent chances at the other end this time, with former Braintree man Will Davies turning just outside the edge of the box and racing forward, before sending a powerful drive towards the bottom corner that was denied denied by a strong hand from Lennon Maclorg. Sutton kept the chance alive, though, with Boateng soon firing just over the crossbar.

Braintree thought they had taken the lead however when a goalmouth scramble was eventually ended by Lisbie sliding the ball over the line, but his celebrations were cut short by the offside flag and gave the U’s a lifeline.

Morison’s side went straight up the other end with Vaz showing some neat footwork on the left flank to evade Aidan Francis-Clarke, before picking out Boateng who sent a vicious effort just off target.

However, the former Millwall man thought he had notched his fourth goal in a row in the National League Cup when Davies’ low drive from distance was palmed away into his path by Maclorg, allowing him to turn the ball over the line, but just as Lisbie had been moments earlier, was denied by the offside flag.

Sutton seemingly had all the momentum, and went close again on the half-hour mark when Finley Barbrook’s vicious free kick was parried away by Maclorg, before the Iron seemed to regain their footing and made it difficult for the U’s to penetrate their backline.

It wasn’t without trying though, and after Ryan Clampin had fired over the crossbar, Sutton almost took the lead moments later when some lovely skill from Boateng allowed him to twist and turn away from two defenders and make space for a cross, picking out Davies who was unable to keep his effort down, before seven minutes of added time allowed both sides one more chance to take the lead before the break.

Braintree probably should have done when Sims was caught in no man’s land after attempting to clear a high ball away, with Lisbie eventually firing into the side netting with the goal gaping, before Sutton went up the other end again and sent Davies through on goal, who maintained control of the ball before picking his spot and sending a curling effort which just couldn’t bend enough to find the inside of the far post, seeing the half end goalless.

Just as they did in the first half, Braintree almost took the lead just moments after the restart when Tom Blackwell brilliantly kept the ball in play from an overhit Lisbie cross, before cutting inside and firing a curling effort just wide of the far post.

This was followed by a couple of superb chances for the visitors, with an acrobatic Boateng effort flying into the path of Davies, who’s shot on the goal line was somehow cleared, before Vaz saw a powerful low strike cannon off the post and across the face of goal.

Braintree then saw another opening fall their way with Akinde racing towards goal and sliding a low effort towards the bottom corner, but Sims was equal to it, and allowed Sutton to maintain their dominance with another excellent chance being produced soon after.

Davies found himself in behind and teed up Nadesan after briefly losing possession, due to Louis Annesley recovering well, with Sutton then working it nicely on the edge of the box, and leading Simper to eventually hit the woodwork for a second time with a powerful strike.

Sutton were then forced into a change in midfield though, with Barbrook needing to be replaced by Siju Odelusi, who almost gifted the hosts the lead just seconds after coming on when Akinde robbed him of possession in the middle of the park. The Braintree forward drove towards goal, but could only skew his low effort wide of the target, sparing the newly introduced Odelusi’s blushes.

However, Braintree would go on to produce the better chances during the latter stages, with Clampin sailing a free kick over the crossbar and substitute Kyrell Lisbie sending a powerful header down the throat of Sims, either side of a second Sutton change as Davies was replaced by Jack Wadham due to cramp.

This was followed by Kyrell’s brother Kyreece having an opportunity of his own, but could only find the building behind the goal with a rising effort from close range.

It looked to be Braintree who were going closest to a winner late on, with seven minutes of added time affording another chance for either side to nick the crucial goal.

Matt Robinson was the one to let fly in the first minute of stoppage time, wrapping his foot around the ball to fire a fizzing strike that whistled just over the crossbar, before Lisbie finished off proceedings with a dangerous delivery across the face of goal, but no one was there to meet it and thus, saw the game head to penalties.

Akinde stepped up first and dispatched his spot-kick, with Simper, Robinson, Odelusi, Marley Marshall-Miranda, Besart Topallaj, George Langston and Boateng all scoring from 12 yards, making it four goals apiece heading into Francis’ effort. Sims was equal to the strike and put Sutton into the lead, although Wadham was unable to take advantage with Maclorg denying the former AFC Bouremouth man.

This then saw Clampin, Nadesan and Jacob Pinnington all miss in sudden death, before Vaz stepped up to finally convert, and send Sutton through to the National League Cup Final.

Braintree Town: Madlorg; Clampin, Langston, Annesley, Francis-Clarke (Pinnington 52’), Marshall-Miranda, Robinson, Blackwell (Kyrell Lisbie 75’), Kyreece Lisbie, Akinde, Francis. Subs n/u Cooper, Haxthausen-Nielsen. Booked: Langston

Sutton United: Sims, French, Ransom, Simper, Davies (Wadham 82’), Vaz, Barbrook (Odelusi 65’), Boateng, Jackson, Nadesan, Topallaj. Subs n/u Muller, Eccleston, Tume, Woodyard, Kerbey.

Referee: Stephen Parkinson

Attendance: 728

Photo Credit: Paul Loughlin