Odelusi and Barbrook lead the Sutton comeback as the U’s progress to the fourth round of the FA Trophy through Nana Boateng’s deciding penalty.

The game saw four changes from the U’s midweek National League Cup outing against Tottenham under 21s . Sims re-entered the starting XI in place of Arnold. Simper and Jackson returned to the side for their second taste of competitive action, after both suffering sustained periods out with injury. Jeremy Sivi also entered the starting XI after being an unused sub in Tuesday’s 3-0 win.

The first action of the game would see Odelusi booked after denying Ebsfleet an early counter opportunity. Toby Edser fired the resulting free kick well over the bar.

Ebbsfleet would follow with another effort on goal. Todd Kane found space in the box but fired a tame effort at Sims who held comfortably. At the other end, Tyler Cordner would be the next player in the book for dragging down Nana Boateng.

Lewis Simper would soon receive the same outcome. A 50/50 in the middle of the park saw Simper slightly mistime his challenge and end up in the official’s book. From the free kick, Ebbsfleet delivered a ball towards the back post which was too far for Bingham to meet.

In the 26th minute, Sutton were forced into a substitution as Will Davies left the pitch through injury after colliding with Jeremy Sivi. Josh Coley would be his replacement.

Sutton would open the scoring on the fourty-second minute through Nana Boateng. The ball would end up at the feet of Sivi who drove through the midfield before playing the ball through to Boateng who had ran the full length of the pitch. With only Norman to beat Boateng took the ball in his stride before comfortably slotting the ball into the top corner.

Ebbsfleet would follow with a chance of their own. A ball over the top towards Cosgrove saw the attacker clear on goal only to be denied acrobatically by Sims in the Sutton net.

Sutton started the second half with a substitution as Finley Barbrook entered the pitch in place of Lewis Simper in a like for like change.

Within 2 minutes of the referee’s whistle, Ebbsfleet would level up the score. A ball across the box from Harriott landed at the feet of Kane who found the back of the net. Ebbsfleet would find the back of the net for a second time six minutes later. Aaron Cosgrove found the bottom corner from the edge of the box to give Ebbsfleet the lead for the first time in the game.

Sivi drove down the lefts bypassing Kane and curled a powerful effort at goal inches wide of the far post.

Ebbsfleet added a third on the sixty third minute. A counter from Ebbsfleet saw Harriott take the ball down and hit home for the Ebbsfleet’s third of the game. Sutton would respond up the other end with an effort of their own. Boateng did well to meet a ball at the back post but miscued his header wide.

The U’s would find themselves back in the game through Finley Barbrook. The ball fell kindly to the Ipswich loanee who volleyed his effort into the bottom corner to give Sutton a sight back in the game.

With eleven to go, Sutton won a penalty. Midfielder Odelusi stepped up and slotted calmly in the bottom right corner to draw the game level.

In search of a winner, Coley beat the offside trap and whipped the ball towards Vaz who was unlucky to not gather a connection with the ball. Barbrook did well to thread the ball through the Ebbsfleet defence to Jackson who saw his effort held by Norman.

Sutton would then follow with a trio of chances.  Sivi took a strike from distance which Norman parried as far as Coley who was the next to see his effort saved by the Fleet keeper from close range. Barbrook would then fire an effort off the crossbar.

Morison opted to make two changes heading into injury time. Sivi and Vaz made way for Topallaj and Wadham respectively. The last effort of the game would fall to Odelusi. A ball into the box met the goalscorer but his headed effort was wide.

As Sutton unable to find the deciding fourth goal, the game would be decided by penalties. With Sutton not missing from twelve yards on multiple occasions. Nana Boateng would convert the deciding penalty to send Sutton through to the fourth round of the FA Trophy.

Sutton United: J Sims; H Ransom, C Okoli, C Waller, J Sivi (Sub B Topallaj 90+3′) , R Jackson; S Odelusi, L Simper (Sub F Barbrook H-T) ; N Boateng, W Davies (Sub J Coley 26′), E Vaz (Sub J Wadham 90+3′). Subs n/u. S Roberts, H Muller, T French.

Ebbsfleet United: M Norman; T Cordner, L John, R Bingham, F Domi, T Edser, P Souare (Sub T Dallison 68′), A Cosgrave, T Kane, A Stewart, M Manktelow(sub C Harriott H-T). Subs n/u H Firth, J Wright, J Tanga.

Referee: Garreth Rhodes

Attendence: 955 (70 away)