Sutton and Colchester shared the points at the VBS, with Sutton missing a golden chance to take all three points and close the gap on the Essex side at the foot of the table when Harry Smith’s penalty ten minutes from time was saved by Colchester goalkeeper Owen Goodman.

Sutton might have scored inside the first minute when Craig Eastmond blasted a shot over the bar, but Colchester replied with a shot from Arthur Read that was well saved by Steve Arnold, who had replaced Dean Bouzanis in the Sutton goal. A minute later Colchester led when the ball was pulled back by Noah Chilvers to John Akinde, whose low shot was turned in by Cameron McGeehan arriving late inside the penalty area.

Read hit the foot of the post from a free kick after being fouled by Eastmond, and within two minutes Sutton were level as a Josh Coley cross fell for Charlie Lakin, who forced the ball past Goodman. Lakin almost turned provider when his free kick was glanced just wide by Ben Goodliffe, and Smith ran on to a Craig Clay pass and lifted it past Goodman (above) only for Riley Harbottle to acrobatically clear off the line. Colchester finished the half strongly as Arnold saved from Jayden Fevrier and Read, the rebound from the second save netted by McGeehan but an offside flag coming to Sutton’s rescue.

Craig Clay missed a good chance early in the second half, scuffing a shot wide from Lakin’s corner, and at the other end Arnold made a brilliant reflex save when an inswinging free kick from Read came through a crowded penalty area. The big chance came with ten minutes to go as substitute Stephen Duke-McKenna’s shot was blocked by a diving Harbottle with his hand, but Smith’s penalty was saved to his right by Goodman.

Sutton: S Arnold, R Jackson, N Adom-Malaki, J Kizzi, B Goodliffe, S Hart, J Coley(sub O Sanderson 69), C Eastmond, H Smith, C Lakin, C Clay(sub S Duke-McKenna 69). Subs n/u O Sowunmi, D Moore, L Angol, J Taylor, S Roberts. Booked: Eastmond, Goodliffe.

Colchester: O Goodman, J Richardson(sub M Egbo 64), E Iandolo, R Harbottle, C Hall, A Read, A Smith, C McGeehan(sub J Mingi 90+3), J Akinde (sub T Hopper 64), N Chilvers, J Fevrier(sub M Jay 83). Subs n/u T Dallison, S Hornby, B Ihionvien. Booked: Richardson, Read, Iandolo.

Referee: Ben Speedie

Attendance: 3,472(780 away)