CONN JOB ENOUGH TO SEE LUCKY Us HOME

SUTTON U 1 Brown 34 (og) GUISELEY 0

GUISELEY were condemned to a 13th game without victory after a casual own-goal by debutant Connor Brown helped Sutton to all three points.

The scrappy win brought a fifth victory from seven home games – all of which with clean sheets – to take the Us into the top half of the National League table.

“Our first half performance was good without creating many chances, but we know ourselves in the second half we couldn’t get control of the ball,” said assistant manager Ian Baird.

“It was an ugly win but we had a clean sheet and we won three points.”

Guiseley remain cut adrift at the foot of the table, though manager Adam Lockwood, in his second game in charge fulltime, took the positives.

“What pleased me today was the application of the guys, and it shows we’re going in the right direction,” he added. “We’re going to keep believing, and things will turn for us.”

Sutton had the better of the opening exchanges. although it was cagey from both sides.

Roarie Deacon was the first to come close for Sutton, while Craig Eastmond should have done better when he found plenty of space on the edge of the box, but blasted well over.

Guiseley’s best chance of the half came in their first meaningful foray forward after 25 minutes, but Alex Purver couldn’t convert when he was played through one-onone with Ross Worner. Sutton were finding most joy going forward with full-backs Kevin Amankwaah and the impressive Dan Wishart, and that proved pivotal, as both were involved in the opening goal. They did though rely on a large debt of gratitude to Guiseley full-back Brown, whose nonchalant attempt to side-foot a dropping Amankwaah cross back to keeper Jonathan Maxted resulted in him finding the bottom corner of the net. Sutton have had trouble with some of the league’s strugglers this year, with four of their five victories before today coming against sides in the top eight. And it was much the same here with Guiseley showing a lot more purpose after the break. Sutton had Worner to thank for keeping their advantage, as he made two impressive saves – one from his own centre back Jamie Collins and then a rasping strike by Jordan Preston. Guiseley were clearly in the ascendancy as the game became stretched late on, but when their big chance came in the final minute, Preston blasted over from close range.