Carlisle United 0-2 Sutton United: Toothless Blues beaten by high-flying visitors

Two first-half goals from Isaac Olaofe and David Ajiboye were enough for the south London side.

The Cumbrians once again came up seriously short as they went a third League Two game without scoring.

And the Blues' showing did little to contest the view that more attacking reinforcements are sorely needed before Monday night's transfer deadline.

The second successive defeat also meant a losing start in a United shirt for new defender Dynel Simeu, who went straight into the side.

Jack Armer hit the post and Jon Mellish had an effort cleared off the line but Carlisle seldom looked like threatening the fourth-placed visitors' superiority.

They remain eight points above the relegation zone but there was little else to cheer at Brunton Park for the 4,399 crowd.

United boss Millen handed an immediate debut to Simeu days after the Southampton defender joined the Cumbrians on loan.

He took the place of Morgan Feeney in defence, while Corey Whelan also came back into the midfield at the expense of Jordan Gibson.

Isaac Olaofe's shot beats Mark Howard for Sutton's opener

That saw Mellish pushed into attack in support of Tyrese Omotoye, while Sutton's line-up included two ex-United men in keeper Dean Bouzanis and striker Richie Bennett.

Both sides struggled to tame a strong wind in the opening stages, the Blues playing into a stiff breeze as they attacked the Warwick Road End.

Bennett caused some problems with his aerial work, and Craig Eastmond saw the game's first serious attempt blocked on 14 minutes.

United threatened through a pair of crosses from Mellish and Brennan Dickenson, but Sutton were the more threatening side and they took the lead on 23 minutes.

Carlisle failed to deal adequately with a cross, and Olaofe was quickest onto the clearance and had enough space to drill low past Howard.

The Blues came close to a leveller three minutes later when Omari Patrick beat his man on the right and crossed, but Armer's header came back off the left-hand post.

And Sutton then punished the Blues with a second on 31 minutes when Bennett fed Ajiboye through the middle and the visiting number seven showed strength and persistence to hold off defenders and drive low past Howard.

The visitors celebrate

Matt Gray's side were now comfortably on top and, after Callum Guy saw a shot saved by Bouzanis, back came the visitors through Rob Milsom, who saw a shot deflect wide, and then almost caught out the Blues with a wind-assisted corner, which Howard had to push behind.

A further series of Sutton corners kept United penned in, while Howard's save prevented Enzio Boldewijn from making it 3-0 when the Dutch attacker cut in from the left.

Joel Senior was denied a penalty claim after cutting into the Sutton box but Carlisle remained seriously short of attacking ideas.

And only Howard prevented the visitors adding another goal right on half-time, the keeper saving Bennett's shot on the line after Olaofe had battled clear to the right of goal.

Carlisle tried to force their way back after the break with Patrick upping the tempo on the right and Senior joining further attacks.

At the other end, Simeu atoned with a block on Olaofe after the debutant's miskick had allowed the Sutton frontman in.

Omotoye had a shot blocked for United before he was replaced by Gibson.

United almost pulled one back when a cross was met by Mellish, but his headed finish was cleared off the line by Ben Goodliffe.

Gibson had an effort blocked but other real chances remained scarce, as Millen then sent on Lewis Alessandra in search of a way back.

Carlisle forced a string of corners but struggled to make positive use of any of them, while Gibson's firm shot fom 20 yards was parried by Bouzanis with ten minutes to go.

It was a hopeless cause, with only Howard coming out of things with any real credit, the keeper preventing Boldewijn from wrapping things up with a close-range save late on.

Mellish's mis-hit volley after good work from Patrick in added time summed things up as Carlisle's sub-par efforts ended in defeat.

United: Howard, Senior, Armer, McDonald, Simeu, Guy, Whelan (clough 86), Mellish, Dickenson (Alessandra 73), Patrick, Omotoye (Gibson 60). Not used: Norman, Devine, Riley, Feeney.

Booked: Omotoye.

Sutton: Bouzanis, Goodliffe, John, Kizzi, Milsom, Eastmond, Smith, Boldewijn (Korboa 90), Ajiboye, Bennett (Sho-Silva 77), Olaofe (Wilson 77). Not used: Nelson, Wyatt, Davis, Dundas.

Goals: Olaofe 23, Ajiboye 31.

Booked: Milsom, Olaofe

Ref: Darren Handley.

Crowd: 4,399 (118 Sutton fans).