Gray wants perceptions over Sutton to improve

MATT Gray hailed his Sutton side after their win away at Carlisle, but revealed frustration at how his side are perceived despite their success.

First-half goals from Isaac Olaofe and David Ajiboye secured a ninth straight game without defeat in all competitions.

Gray said: “I’m certainly delighted. A clean sheet away from home considering the busy run we’ve been on is fantastic. We scored two great goals and it’s another three points on the road.

Overall I’m absolutely thrilled.

“The first half performance was particularly pleasing. We were all over them, it was one-way traffic and we got our rewards with the goals.

“But there’s a little bit of frustration creeping in with me. I think sometimes we don’t get the credit we deserve. Yes we’re big, strong and powerful and are dangerous from set pieces, but that second goal shows what we’re about. It was some great football.”

With Carlisle unable to score for a third game, U’s striker Olaofe pounced on a failed clearance to fire home his eighth goal of the season in the 23rd minute.

The Cumbrians were unlucky not to level four minutes later when defender Jack Armer hit the post, but Ajiboye added salt to the wound as he finished off a superb Sutton team move after 31 minutes.

Hosts’ stopper Mark Howard produced a good save to keep out Enzio Boldewijn just before half-time and prevent all hope being lost.

But Carlisle huffed and puffed without any luck in the second half, including when Jon Mellish saw his header cleared off the line just after the hour mark.

Jordan Gibson’s late snapshot was then beaten away by Dean Bouzanis with ten minutes to go, as the Cumbrians struggled to claw themselves back into the game.

The hosts now sit eight points above the dreaded relegation zone and boss Keith Millen has some concerns.

He said: “We were the better side in the second half, but the damage was already done. I want to take the shackles off and go for it a bit more and have the players believe they’re going to score. It’s not just a problem at the minute, it’s been a problem all season.

“There’s definitely, it’s not a fear, but a lack of confidence.”