Sutton’s run of seven consecutive league defeats ended with an encouraging performance that on another day might have earned more than just a point, although U’s could easily again have tasted defeat when MK captain Alex Gilbey, who had earlier cancelled out Omar Sowunmi’s first goal in Sutton colours, shot wide of a gaping goal with three minutes left.

That would have been very harsh for U’s, whose first half performance was probably the best since the opening day defeat of Notts County, although U’s may be disappointed that Craig MacGillivray in the MK goal was not tested more often. Despite a succession of corners U’s were unable to create clear chances, and it was at the other end that the game came closest to its opening goal as Anthony Stewart met a left wing corner with a volley that fortunately for Sutton went straight at Dean Bouzanis.

Eight minutes before half time, though, U’s had the goal they deserved as Sowunmi, preferred to Ben Goodliffe alongside Louis John in the centre of U’s defence, attacked Christian N’Guessan’s corner and sent in a firm downward header that no one was keeping out. It might have been a short-lived lead as Jack Payne cut in from the right and hit a shot that took a slight deflection and hit the inside of the near post before rebounding across goal to safety, but when the visitors tried their luck again from outside the penalty area seven minutes after the interval they had more luck, with Gilbey’s low shot beating Bouzanis’s dive.

For the next ten minutes MK looked to capitalise on the equaliser, with Mo Eisa glancing a header wide, but Sutton responded well and MacGillivray twice saved from Omari Patrick, the second save more difficult than the first as he turned aside a low shot from the edge of the penalty area. The goalkeeper was also called upon by Aiden O’Brien, whose fine run ended with a shot that lacked power and was comfortably saved. Another individual run, this time by substitute Dion Pereira, brought appeals for a penalty that referee Thomas Kirk turned aside as the winger went over under a challenge, and also sparked a counter attack for MK that ended with Eisa’s low cross being met in front of goal by Gilbey, whose shot somehow failed to hit the target, sparing Sutton what would have been the most undeserved of endings.

Sutton: D Bouzanis, J Kizzi, S Hart(sub R Jackson 85), Sowunmi, C Clay (sub H Beautyman 79), L John, J Coley(sub C Eastmond 59), C N’Guessan, H Smith(sub H Kasimu 85) A O’Brien (sub D Pereira 79), O Patrick. Subs n/u J Rose, B Goodliffe.

MK: C MacGillivray, C Norman, D Lewington, A Stewart, W O’Hora(sub M Dean 88), MJ Williams, J Tomlinson, A Gilbey, E Harrison, M Eisa(sub J Leko 88), J Payne. Subs n/u J Tucker, C Grant, E Robson, D Harvie, M Kelly. Booked: Williams

Referee: Thomas Kirk

Attendance: 3,288 (691 away)