Two early goals was enough to seal victory in Surrey, with Sutton United overcoming Woking with a narrow win.
Lewis Simper’s first goal for the club gave the U’s the lead after just 12 minutes in fortuitous fashion, with his low strike from distance taking a huge deflection which wrong-footed William Jääskeläinen and flew into the back of the net to break the deadlock, with Jeremy Sivi doubling their lead five minutes later with a superb volley from the edge of the box.
Substitute Tom Leahy halved the deficit with a little over 15 minutes to go when he got on the end of Deon Moore’s cross, but despite their efforts, Michael Doyle’s side were unable to come from behind with the U’s making it four games unbeaten.
Victory at the Laithwaite Community Stadium means Sutton move up to eighth in the Vanarama National League table, and will now enjoy a week off before a long trip up to Hartlepool United next Saturday.
Steve Morison made three changes to the side which drew with Yeovil Town during midweek, with Josh Coley and Finley Barbrook returning to the starting XI, along with Sivi who started his first game since the defeat to Forest Green Rovers at the end of August.
An early chance for the hosts threatened to be a warning sign, with former U Charlie Kendall firing over the crossbar from a free kick, but Simper made sure to remove any doubt over who would enjoy the better of things during the opening stages ten minutes later.
After picking up the ball in space, the former Cambridge United man settled himself and fired a low effort towards goal, with a huge deflection taking it beyond Jääskeläinen and into the back of the net to give the U’s the lead.
It would get from good to great for the visitors just moments later, with Dan Moss going in the book for a reckless foul by the byline on Sivi. The U’s gratefully accepted this gift, with Simper turning provider and delivering into the danger area, with his cross being headed as far as Sivi on the edge of the box who wonderfully guided a volley into the bottom corner to double the U’s advantage.
Woking responded with a chance of their own as they searched for an instant way back into the match with Lewis Walker firing over via a deflection after some good build-up.
The visitors almost made it a third though after 25 minutes, with Will Davies picking up the ball in space in Woking’s half before advancing and threading a ball through to Coley. The U’s number seven got the ball under control before firing just wide of the far post from a tight angle.
With a two-goal cushion, the U’s looked to settle into the game and maintain control, although Walker would have another chance after the half-hour mark when he struck an out-of-control effort high and wide and into the stand behind the goal.
A couple of late chances would see Barbrook let fly from distance although he was unable to keep his effort down, with Woking skipper Dale Gorman doing similar moments later, but the U’s were able to see out the half as they went into the break two goals to the good.
It took until the hour-mark for either side to see a real sight of goal in the second half, with the U’s largely comfortable with their two-goal advantage.
Jayden Harris won the ball in a dangerous area and picked out Coley inside the box, who dribbled past a couple of defenders before sending a deflected effort goalward, which Cian Harries cleared.
This would be followed by a chance for substitute Matt Ward – who had come on at half time along with Raheem Conte in place of former U’s Kendall and Ben Wynter. Ward drove forward after a mistake from Charlie Waller before sending a tame effort into the gloves of Steve Arnold.
Another former U would then enter the fray as Moore replaced Jermaine Anderson and would be followed by Leahy who replaced Walker in the Cards’ search for a goal.
This almost brought an instant impact, but Moore was unable to keep his effort from distance down minutes after he came on.
Moore would be a part of the Cards’ route back into the game though, sending a cross into the penalty area which substitute Leahy headed past Arnold to pull a goal back with just over 15 minutes to go.
Morison had previously brought Ashley Nadesan on in place of Coley, and in an attempt to maintain control of proceedings, he would be followed by Siju Odelusi who replaced Barbrook shortly after Leahy’s goal.
The U’s came ever so close to restoring their two-goal advantage with Chin Okoli sending a powerful header inches wide from a corner, and Jamie Andrews was required to produce a crucial last ditch intervention to deny Harris who was through on goal soon after.
Tensions would begin to rise, with Simper being booked for cynically stopping a counter attack, which Conte would end up firing wide from the delivery.
This preceded another great chance for the U’s though, with Sivi’s shot being blocked before Odelusi fired the rebound over the crossbar, which was followed by Davies dragging a shot wide from the edge of the box.
While Sutton were unable to add a third, the Cards couldn’t level proceedings, with the U’s holding firm to see out a third victory in four games.
Woking: W Jääskeläinen, D Moss, C Harries, M Dyche, B Wynter (sub M Ward H-T), J Andrews, T Akinola, D Gorman, J Anderson (sub D Moore 60), C Kendall (sub R Conte H-T), L Walker (sub T Leahy 66’). Subs n/u O Webber, J Jones, D Kelly-Evans. Booked: Moss, Anderson, Ward, Dyche.
Sutton United: S Arnold; T French, H Ransom, C Okoli, C Waller; F Barbrook (sub S Odelusi 78), J Harris, L Simper; J Sivi, W Davies, J Coley (sub A Nadesan 72). Subs n/u J Sims, E Agbaje, M Rush, E Vaz, N Boateng. Booked: Barbrook, Simper, Okoli, Nadesan.
Referee: Stephen Parkinson
Attendance: 2,076(510 away)
