Sutton United consolidated their place in the Ryman Premier League play-off zone with a fifth consecutive victory over Horsham on Saturday.

Although Sutton stretched their lead to four points over sixth-placed Maidstone United, they were never at their best on Saturday and were nearly denied maximum points when sub Williams Pearoux headed against the post.

United gave a debut to centre back Jon Munday, signed from St Albans City on Monday, in place of the injured Karim El-Salahi.

Munday saw plenty of the game early on as Horsham started brightly without causing any great threat.

His first significant contribution came in the 15th minute, though, at the other end of the pitch after Gavin McCallum’s low cross had been turned goalwards by Craig Dundas and saved by Rob Tolfrey in Sutton’s first moment of threat.

McCallum, at the hub of most of Sutton’s best moments, sent over a deep corner from the right and Munday met it with an imposing header that dipped under the crossbar as Alex Haddow tried in vain to clear.

The goal didn’t alter the general pattern of play, however, and the visitors should have levelled with four minutes when a corner from the left fell to Jacob Mingle, who mis-hit a volley hopelessly over the bar.

Other chances came on the break, with a slip from David Hughes in the 27th minute after Tolfrey had punched away a cross allowing Horsham to launch a quick counter attack. Haddow’s cross was met with a firm header by Evan Archibald that Paul Nicholls saved well, diving to his left.

Another counter attack saw Haddow’s shot blocked on the six yard line, and on the balance of play it was hard to begrudge Horsham their equaliser nine minutes before half time when Lee Carey’s corner from the left was headed in at the near post by Russell Eldridge.

Billy Dunn replaced Steve West at the break as United looked to give their attack more pace, and although there was no immediate improvement the move paid dividends 17 minutes in to the second half.

McCallum wriggled down the left and out of almost nothing whipped in a brilliant waist high cross which was skilfully converted by Dunn at the far post for his 10th goal of the season, his side foot volley rebounding back off the stanchion behind the junction of post and bar.

Three minutes later, Dunn produced a memorable solo run before setting up Dundas, whose shot wide failed to match the approach.

Then, after another superb piece of play by McCallum had seen him cut in along the by-line and lay the ball back for Dunn, Tolfrey was required to make a good save from a well struck shot.

This was Sutton’s best spell of the game, with Horsham’s sole threat a volley by Haddow which rebounded back off the knees of Nicholls.

But, with 20 minutes to go, they were forced in to another change as Dunn was injured by a hard tackle by Tony Acheampong, whose challenge took enough of the ball to dissuade referee Charles Breakspear from penalising.

However, it also left an impression on Dunn, who was stretchered off but happily was walking about soon afterwards, albeit with a gashed shin. McCallum did test Tolfrey with a shot from 20 yards after another typically nippy run, but Horsham finished strongly and almost earned themselves a point.

Nicholls came for a free kick only to see the ball headed out from in front of him, and was left stranded as Peauroux’s header looped back over him but rebounded back off the post.

There was one more scare for United as Chris Collins was penalised for a foul on Archibald right on the edge of the area, and booked for the length of time he took to go back 10 yards.

However, Haddow’s free kick rebounded harmlessly off the defensive wall and the final whistle came seconds later.

Sutton: P Nicholls, S Jackson, A Bray, S McKimm(sub M Hann 66), C Collins, J Munday, D Palmer, D Hughes, C Dundas, S West(sub B Dunn H-T) (sub C Eribenne 70), G McCallum . Subs not used: A Wilde, G Heeroo. Goals: Munday(15), Dunn(62). Booked: Munday (85-unsporting behaviour), Collins (90-failure to retreat ten yards at free kick).

Horsham: R Tolfrey, L Carey, R Eldridge, T Acheampong, S Page, L Carney, J Mingle(sub W Peauroux 75), D Budd, E Archibald, M Knee (sub C Seanla 75), A Haddow. Subs n/u Y Salaam, I Payne, T Nwachuku. Goal: Eldridge(36). Booked: Peauroux (84-foul).

Referee: C Breakspear (Walton-on-Thames).

Attendance: 545