The visitors showed few signs of a late arrival that forced the game to kick off fifteen minutes late, and Lenny Jones had already made one good save before Stevenage went ahead after six minutes with a low shot from a player who had been put through on the right, but Sutton responded well and were level midway through the half when Joden Trickett shrugged a defender off to collect a long ball over the top and drove a shot beyond the goalkeeper and inside the far post.

The decisive goal came ten minutes in to the second half when a free kick from the right was met with a towering header, and while there was little between the sides throughout the game Sutton were unable to equalise for a second time, Junior Eccleston blasting one shot too high and both Liam Moore and Cameron Sullivan having free kicks saved. At the other end U’s were grateful to Eccleston for one fine challenge to deny a striker in the penalty area, and two good saves in stoppage time from substitute goalkeeper Charlie Fletcher which prevented Stevenage adding a third.

Sutton: L Jones, C Lee, A Reeves, L Moore, J Eccleston, B Lambourne, K Edwards, C Sullivan, V Tume, J Trickett, A Tshitenga. Subs C Bell, C Fletcher, K Wilson, J Fennelow, J Lowe .

There is another home EFL Youth Alliance fixture on Saturday morning against Cheltenham Town, again at Tooting & Mitcham, kicking off at 10am.