It may not have been the most stylish victory of the season, but there were few with Sutton connections complaining at Mill Road on Saturday.

They picked up three crucial points thanks to an own goal from home defender Richard Ketchell six minutes before half time.

In bleak and blustery conditions, good football was always going to be at a premium but, to their credit, United attempted to get the ball down and pass it around.

Although the finishing touch for the goal came from Ketchell, the move between Danny Phillips and Billy Hawes that created the chance deserved to be rewarded.

Sutton will feel that they should have had a second after half time, which would have given a truer impression of the difference between the sides.

But Sonny Cobbs’ superb individual effort was ruled out for a mysterious offside decision and, as a result, United had to endure a more anxious last 10 minutes than they deserved as Aveley pushed men forward in search of a point.

With the wind blowing straight across the pitch it was difficult to notice an advantage for either side, and it was scarcely surprising that it took either side some time to create any worthwhile chances.

Sutton went close when Sam Gargan climbed high to head just wide from Matt Hann’s cross.

Then, the same players combined as Gargan’s pass slipped Hann through, and goalkeeper Jamie Lunan had to block the shot with his legs.

James Hawes also found himself through on the left, but ran out of space as he tried to go round Lunan.

Aveley lost leading striker Martin Tuohy to injury before the half hour, but one good break did see Junior Dadson head wide from Sherwin Stanley’s cross.

Darren Blewitt tried his luck from long range with a shot that was on target, but found Kevin Scriven well placed to save.

Sutton were entitled to feel pleased with their first half, however, and the goal they deserved came when Danny Phillips’ neat pass between two defenders sent the overlapping Billy Hawes through on the right of the penalty area.

His fierce cross was sliced in by Ketchell, who may have felt better for the knowledge that two Sutton players were behind him and would probably have scored anyway.

Soon after half time, it looked as though Sutton had backed that goal up with a second.

A fine move ended with Gargan playing the ball inside for Cobbs to burst in to the penalty area and past two players before drilling a shot in to the net, but United were horrified to see assistant referee Chukwuma Uju with his flag up.

It was hard to see where an offside had occurred, and the explanation afterwards was that a player in an offside position had interfered with one of the defenders beaten by Cobbs.

However, the referee’s decision to disallow what looked a fine goal without at least consulting with his assistant seemed a strange one.

Some disappointing crosses let down some other promising positions for United, and with only the one goal lead there were bound to be some anxious moments before the end as Aveley looked for an undeserved equaliser.

Matt Johnson headed wide from a right wing cross, and inside the last five minutes both Gargan and Billy Hawes were booked, the latter for a foul which conceded a free kick in a position of real danger, only for substitute Sam Lechmere to send his cross harmlessly deep and out for a goal kick.

Aveley: J Lunan, R Doyle (sub S Lechmere 79), S Holloway, N Symons, D Blewitt, R Ketchell, P Wixon, M Johnson, S Stanley, M Tuohy(sub M Hahn 26), J Dadson. Subs n/u J Higgs, J Green, J Marrable.

Sutton: K Scriven B Hawes, A Bray, J Goodliffe, K El-Salahi, S Cobbs, M Hann, D Phillips (sub S Payne 63), S Gargan, S McKimm, J Hawes (sub A Pouton 59). Subs n/u B Woods-Garness, A Joseph, B Thomas. Goal: Ketchell (39 og). Booked: Gargan(88-foul), B Hawes(89-foul).

Referee: D Bushell (Tottenham).

Attendance: 240.