Job done for Matt Gray as Sutton beat Colchester

Sutton manager Matt Gray was pleased to see his players get the “job done” after they won 3-1 at 10-man Colchester to move up to sixth in League Two.

Colchester took a second-minute lead through Freddie Sears, but Sutton levelled after 12 minutes when David Ajiboye scored at the far post following skipper Rob Milsom’s deep cross.

Milsom then converted a 28th-minute penalty after Samson Tovide was sent off for handling Isaac Olaofe’s effort on the goal line.

Sutton sealed victory in the 61st minute through Ben Goodliffe, whose glancing header from Milsom’s free-kick into the area flew in.

Gray said: “It wasn’t a great start from us but we got the job done.

“I’ve seen it so many times from this group of players to respond like that and give us a spark.

“It was a great goal to get us back into the game and get us back onto the front foot and then we got the penalty, which we capitalised on.

“We were pleased to get the equaliser and it was important to get the third.

“It’s another three points towards our target of 50 points and I’m really pleased to be sitting on 23 points, just a third of the way into the season.

“That’s a great start for the club but that’s all it is, a start. We want to get 50 points on the board as soon as we can.

“After that we’ll see how many games we have left and let’s see what happens.”

Colchester head coach Hayden Mullins admitted it was a difficult night for the hosts.

He said: “It’s a tough one to take. It felt like after we scored, a lot of the decisions went against us.

“It was huge to play that length of time with 10 men. We started the game so well and as an away team, it’s the perfect thing that you want to happen.

“You’re away from home, you get back in the game and then you get a penalty and your opponents are down to 10 men.

“The ref said to me that it was a harsh red card and was almost apologising but that it was the letter of the law because it hit Samson’s hand in the box.

“I thought the boys’ response to going down to 10 men was very good.

“I thought we showed a lot of character and we spoke at half-time about trying to take our chances, because it might go down to the wire.”