Despite having just one centre-back available, United were rampant in the first half and raced into a 3-0 lead against basement boys Sutton United, however the second half was a different story as the visitors fought back to earn a share of the spoils with an equaliser six minutes into stoppage time.

For the first time this season, Garry Haylock was able to select Josh Scott in his starting line-up, the striker having finally recovered from the fracture received courtesy of an appalling tackle at Gander Green Lane earlier in the season.

The striker took little time to settle into his stride and this led to him opening the scoring on just seven minutes. Liam Collins received the ball on the right and clipped a superb ball over the defence into the run of makeshift full-back James Mulley (left), his low cross being controlled by Scott who placed his shot wide of Wilson's dive.

The U's came back at us straightaway and Delroy Preddie was called into action dealing comfortably with a shot from the edge of the area by Dean Sammutt. Minutes later it was Nick Beasant to the rescue as Warren McBean found the overlapping Craig Tanner whose driven cross was put out of play at the post by the sliding centre-back.

Sixteen minutes had passed when a sweeping move saw United with a four against two advantage only for Wilson to come to the U's rescue. Collins broke out of defence before finding Scott, he was driven wide but still managed to get his cross into the box where a swinging miscue from Jack Haverson saw the ball fall nicely to Calum Botham who saw his shot pushed away by the diving keeper.

Just before the half hour the United lead was doubled, Will Hendry turned his marker and ploughed his way into the area only to be brought down courtesy of a Sutton sandwich, Scott stepped up and coolly placed the spot kick out of the reach of Wilson.

As half time approached Collins raced through against Haverson, he shrugged off the former Hayes defender only for Wilson to parry his shot, thankfully only as far as Knight who planted a perfect lob over the covering defender and into the U's net for a 3-0 half time lead.

At the break the Sutton manager Ernie Howe seemed to change away from his starting formation in favour of matching United's 4-4-2, this soon paid dividends as former Yeading midfielder Nicky Greene reduced the arrears after just seven minutes when he was allowed to ride four tackles before beating Preddie.

With United only having a Hendry shot that Wilson held to speak of, the visitors set nerves jangling when they pulled a second goal back with fifteen minutes to play. A long ball upfield found McBean and Dundas with just two defenders opposing them and it was Dundas who took McBean's pass in his stride and struck the ball firmly past Preddie's despairing dive.

United were making very little inroads into the Sutton area as the game hit injury time and a long clearance from Beasant was flicked on by Staforde Palmer but Wilson comfortably fielded Knight's shot. With more than five minutes of stoppage time already played, a final surge forwards by the U's saw Tanner weave into the box and unleash a drive that was superbly pushed around the post by Preddie. sadly for United a lack of marking at the resultant corner saw Haverson arrive to power home a very late equaliser that on their second half performance was deserved.

Report by Kevin Watts. Photos by Ray Peploe.