Following the euphoria of the midweek win over St Albans, City were brought down to earth with a bump in this match, eventually losing to a goal deep in injury time having twice come from behind to level through Paul Booth.

As seems to be the case in recent weeks, City were only able to field a patched up side. Alan Calton continued to deputise for Danny Naisbitt in goal, while the central pairing of Mark Molesley and Josh Simspon were still absent, with Jamie Southon recalled from his loan spell at Chelmsford to help fill in. City were also without Robbie Simpson who was replaced by Michael Gash who was himself suffering from a cold.

Greg Lincoln tries to dig himself out of the clawing mud

On an extremely difficult surface, City started the brighter of the two sides and carried the greater attacking threat in the opening exchanges. Glenn Fuff got forward in the third minute to send a shot skimming over the Sutton bar as the home failed to clear effectively.

City should have taken the lead on thirteen minutes when Booth broke the offside trap as he latched onto Craig Pope’s accurate pass up the line. Drawing the keeper, City’s top scorer looked to have done everything right as he slipped the ball goalwards but John Scarborough had read the danger well and was in position to hack the ball off the line.

City continued to press and Booth was inches away from connecting with Dale Binns probing pass then Binns himself went close as he wriggled his way through the home defence, but pulled his shot wide of the post.

Having been on top to this point, City were stunned when Sutton went in front with their first serious attack on the City goal. There looked a suspicion of offside as Jay Conroy lifted an inviting ball over the top of the City defence for Steve Douglas to nip in and execute a perfect lob over the stranded Alan Calton.

The confidence seemed to then suddenly surge through the Sutton ranks and they nearly doubled their advantage moments later as Douglas battled through a number of challenges before blasting the ball narrowly over the bar.

With City a little at sea, Sutton continued to push home their advantage and there was a nasty moment for Calton as an Eddie Akuamoah centre reared up at him causing the stopper to fumble and only quick thinking from Fuff prevented a tap-in for Douglas. Seconds later and Sutton were threatening again and Calton was well beaten by Luke Corwall’s shot from the edge of the area but fortunately for City it flashed past the post.

Dale Binns lifts the ball over the head of Matt Gray

Having survived the home side’s onslaught, City steadied themselves and picked up their play of earlier in the half. Craig Pope’s excellent run down the flank set up Craig Dobson for a strike on goal but his half volley that would have tested Phil Wilson in the home goal, struck a defender and went behind. Greg Lincoln then picked out Booth’s angled run but the City striker failed to find the target with an angled drive.

With the rain falling on an already heavy pitch the second half, not surprisingly, became a scrappy affair with Sutton offering little as an attacking force, apparently happy to try and hold their one goal lead.

Binns almost opened up Sutton as his bobbling shot beat the dive of Wilson and Michael Gash was unable to turn it home at the far post then Wilson was to the fore as he raced from his line to block Booth’s close range effort after Gash had flicked on Lincoln’s corner.

Pope was getting forward on a regular basis and it was his through ball that sent Booth clear in the 70th minute, Wilson was equal to the threat however, sprinting from his goal to block at the striker’s feet at the expense of a corner. From the flag-kick Sutton only partially cleared and Binns returned the ball where matt Langston looked to have scored with a flicked header but Wilson saved, thrusting an arm up from within a crowd of players.

City had been knocking on the door for a while and it was no surprise when they finally levelled and it was a touch of class from Booth that did the trick. Gash picked out the run of Pope and he clipped the ball into the feet of Booth who took what seemed an age before lifting a glorious lob from within a crowded goalmouth over a startled Wilson.

The goal seemed to light the blue touch paper and City had Calton to thank a minute later as he saved superbly, arching backwards to turn Conroy’s dipping volley over the bar.

Jamie Southon does battle with Sutton's Jay Conroy

The game started to swing from end to end as both sides traded blows. Calton bowled the ball out to Binns and the speedy winger made light of the appalling surface to race half the length of the pitch, outstripping the home defence before smashing the ball into the side-netting. Minutes later and Scarborough saw his flick from a Matt Gray corner booted off the line by Pope. Then Douglas spurned a golden chance as Sutton broke upfield as a City attack broke down. Racing clear, the striker rounded Calton but with the goal yawning, hit his shot twenty yards off the mark.

The action continued and Lee Chaffey played a one-two with Binns before bursting into the area only to see his low strike go inches wide of the far post but it was Sutton who were to inch back in front with four minutes left on the clock. Gray had been a constant threat with his delivery from the flank and it was his inch perfect centre that was met by a diving Scarborough who’s glancing header found the corner of the net.

The lead was short lived however as City went straight up the other end and levelled. Wilson was unable to hold Lincoln’s corner kick and after Fuff’s shot had been blocked, Booth was on hand to smash the ball home via the inside of the post.

The good work was almost undone immediately as Langston got caught in possession by Douglas. Going past Fuff’s challenge he was through and clear but Calton was again the hero as he produced a sliding tackle that any defender would be proud of and the ball was scambled away to safety.

With the game deep into injury time, the draw looked the likely outcome but there was one more twist as City were undone by a bizarre goal. Gray’s cross should have been dealt with but Cornwall’s presence at the near post appeared to cause confusion and the ball found it’s way straight into the net for a cruel and decisive blow to a battling City side.