Matt Gray salutes Sutton’s ‘character’ after dramatic draw at Colchester

Posted Sunday, November 12, 2023 by PA

Manager Matt Gray was pleased for his Sutton players after they struck deep into stoppage time to claim a 1-1 draw at Colchester.

Omar Sowunmi fired high into the roof of the net in the fifth minute of time added on following good work by Harry Smith to salvage a point for the visitors.

It had looked like Colchester were on course for a fourth successive league win after Arthur Read latched onto Brad Ihionvien’s pass and slotted the hosts ahead in the 80th minute.

Gray said: “We certainly deserved it and I’m pleased for the lads because it would have been hard to try and pick them up after.

“We’ve had a few late ones go against us that we haven’t deserved, like at Wrexham.

“They’ve shown great character, hunger and togetherness and a really good performance again on the road.

“It’s our first point on the road and there’s been many games where we’ve deserved something.

“I wouldn’t say their goal was against the run of play; I thought we were reasonably comfortable and I thought it was pretty even.

“It was a good bit of quality from Read to put them ahead but I thought the substitutions made a real impact for us and we had a great response to their goal.

“We had quite a few chances, set pieces, and deservedly got the equaliser to get the 1-1 draw here, which was very pleasing.”

Colchester had their opportunities prior to Read’s goal, with Joe Taylor denied by Sutton goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis in the first half and Samson Tovide firing over.

But Sutton also had their chances, with Joe Kizzi’s shot cleared from near his own goal-line by Tovide, before the late drama.

Colchester interim head coach Matty Etherington said: “We stood up to what they try and impose on you really well, apart from literally the last seconds of the game.

“I thought we could have been better on the ball and a bit quicker because when we did, we looked a real threat but those occasions were few and far between, to be honest.

“They drop off and go side to side, back to front and they’re not easy to play against.

“With the way they set up, we needed to move it quicker in certain areas of the pitch, so that was disappointing.

“But it’s still three wins and a draw in the last four games, so that’s positive.

“The team showed a togetherness again, standing up to what they throw at you, so there’s positives to take, albeit to lose a goal late on like that at the end is disappointing.”