A monstrous performance from Sutton United’s backline was enough to secure a hard-earned point at Boundary Park, with promotion contenders Oldham Athletic held on their own patch.
A goalless first half brought a handful of promising attacks from the U’s, as they looked to return to winning ways after their unbeaten start to 2025 came to an end last weekend. Dillon De Silva proved to be the danger man for the visitors with an early chance after just three minutes, while top scorer Will Davies had a couple of excellent chances to add to his season tally as well.
Oldham looked to up the ante after the break, especially after two superb chances in quick succession fell to Davies and Alex Kirk at the start of the second half. Notable opportunities fell to Billy Waters, James Norwood and Mike Fondop, the latter with perhaps the pick of the bunch with a stinging first-time volley that whistled over the crossbar, but wasn’t enough to steal the three points as Sutton held firm to bring a valuable point back to South London.
A draw with Oldham sees Sutton remain 12th but bounce back from defeat last time out, and return to the north in just three days’ time with a trip to Gateshead on Tuesday night.
Three changes to the starting lineup saw the suspended Finley Barbrook replaced by Jack Wadham with Lewis Simper taking up a deeper position in midfield, while Ryan Jackson and Jack Taylor replaced Junior Robinson and Tyler French, as Alex Woodyard took the captaincy.
Keen to bounce back from defeat last time out against Hartlepool United, Sutton looked to take hold of an early grasp of proceedings. The first opening fell to the U’s as De Silva volleyed inches wide of the near post, with the Sri Lanka international doing well to beat Jake Leake near the byline before winning a corner minutes later. De Silva combined nicely with Woodyard from the shortly taken set piece who picked out Simper in the middle, who skewed his effort from distance wide.
This was then followed by another opportunity for the visitors, with Eduino Vaz this time finding space to shoot from the edge of the box, but was unable to keep his effort down.
While a promising start to the match, Sutton had to be on guard to keep out Oldham’s threat at the other end, and this almost came to fruition when Tom Pett attempted to penetrate the U’s backline with a through ball intended for Fondop, with Besart Topallaj alert and able to read the danger.
The visitors could do nothing about Jake Caprice’s floating ball into the box moments later though, with Jack Sims on hand to claim the delivery before Fondop could meet it.
Steve Morison’s side quickly responded with arguably their best chance of the half with 19 minutes gone, with Davies picking up the ball in acres of space on the edge of the box. The in-form striker showed composure to turn and pick his spot, before firing a vicious effort on goal that forced Latics debutant Tom Donaghy to produce a strong hand to deny it.
Davies then went close again minutes later after Topallaj had brilliantly driven down the left flank to beat Caprice, before sending a dangerous delivery into the box that Mark Kitching had to away from the lurking Jackson. The resulting corner was fired into the box where Davies tried an acrobatic overhead kick, but could only fire wide of the target.
And this was followed by Oldham’s best chance of the half, with Fondop firing a fizzing drive from the edge of the box inches wide of Sims’ near post.
De Silva had been a thorn in Oldham’s side for much of the first half, and drew the first booking of the match shortly before the break when he forced Kitching into a late challenge by the byline. The resulting free kick flew as far as Taylor who headed just wide, and proved to be the last real opportunity of a competitive first half.
Much like the opening to the first half, the second saw Sutton go close just minutes after the restart. Vaz did well to make space on the left for a cross, picking out Jackson on the edge of the box who laid the ball off to De Silva down the line. De Silva then fired the ball back into the danger area where Davies tried to poke the ball home, being denied by Donaghy, before the ball rebounded to Alex Kirk who saw his effort cleared away by some heroic Oldham defending.
This almost sparked a surge in intensity for the Latics, with Caprice picking out Waters in space in the box, but he couldn’t keep his effort from close range down.
This was followed by double changes for both sides as Josh Coley made his long-awaited comeback from injury in place of Jack Wadham, while Woodyard was withdrawn for Siju Odelusi.
However, the Latics looked to turn the screw at the start of the second half with a couple of glorious opportunities, with substitute James Norwood heading Pett’s free kick over the crossbar, before Fondop struck a powerful first-time volley that fizzed narrowly over Sims’ goal.
Norwood would then see another chance go begging, as he sent a powerful half-volley high and wide, shortly before flicking on a long ball towards the onrushing Joe Pritchard, who failed to trouble Sims with a first-time effort that flew off target.
Another change in attack for the U’s saw De Silva’s afternoon come to an end, being withdrawn in favour of Henry Sandat with 22 minutes to go.
Sandat was instantly involved when he combined nicely with Odelusi by the touchline, who sent a ball over the top that needed to be headed clear, but the ball fell as far as Vaz who fired a superb first-time volley down the throat of Donaghy who once again had to produce a strong hand to keep the score level.
Coley then almost marked his return with a goal after Taylor excellently won possession and drove forward, before sliding Sandat away down the right flank. The former Southend United man crossed towards Coley, who just couldn’t reach the ball.
A late swap in defence followed as Morison looked to see out a crucial point on the road, with captain French returning to the pitch in place of Jackson.
The hosts almost stole the victory in the first minute of four added on at the end of the second half, with Sims forced into a heroic stop at the death to deny Norwood from close range after Fondop had headed the back into the danger area, and was enough to seal a hard-fought point on the road.
Oldham Athletic: Donaghy; Kitching, Pett, Lundstram (Pritchard 55’), Fondop, Rossiter (Worthington 76’), Raglan, Waters (Norwood 55’), Caprice, Sutton, Leake
Sutton United: Sims; Taylor, Kirk, Topallaj; Jackson (French 89’), Woodyard (Odelusi 55’), Simper, Vaz; De Silva (Sandat 68’), Wadham (Coley 55’); Davies
Photo Credit: Paul Loughlin
