Sutton United were left frustrated on Saturday by a Bognor Regis Town team desperate for points to pull clear from the relegation zone.

And a frustrating afternoon was compounded by a serious injury to popular left back Alan Bray, stretchered off early in the second half with a suspected broken ankle.

While Sutton could not be faulted for effort, the goal simply wouldn’t come, with Bognor keeper Anthony Elder making a series of fine saves.

Sutton’s best chance probably came within the first 10 minutes when Sam Gargan teed up Matt Hann’s cross to allow Sonny Cobbs to crash in a 20-yard volley which Ender acrobatically tipped over the bar.

United had an overwhelming advantage in possession and territory in the first half and, several times, found themselves in the penalty area but unable to get in a shot as they were crowded out by the Bognor defence.

When Gargan did get a shot in on the turn having controlled the ball well on his chest after 25 minutes, Ender again came to the Sussex side’s rescue with a good save low to his left.

In what was just about Bognor’s only serious attack of the game, Jason Prior met George Barker’s cross with a neat volley that found Kevin Scriven well positioned to save.

Although they had slightly more possession early in the second half, keeper Scriven’s involvement as the game went on rarely extended beyond fielding the ball and launching another attack.

At the other end, it was becoming increasingly frustrating for Sutton, who also had to make their first substitution earlier than they would have wished when Bray crumpled under a challenge from Jacob Walcott.

While correctly penalised, it seemed reasonably innocuous, but it was soon evident that United’s defender was in serious discomfort and he departed on a stretcher after receiving attention.

Following him down the tunnel five minutes later might have been Bognor substitute Richard Hudson, who seemed to swing a punch at Hann after a clash on the touchline, but referee Ron James, who had invited Paul Doswell to watch the game from the stands after only two minutes following his protests at a decision against Alan Pouton, booked Hudson and Hann after tempers had cooled.

Sutton had soon made all three changes and were again dominating proceedings, but clear chances were rare.

The best two both arose when James Hawes, who had filled in at left back once Bray had gone off, but was rarely needed in any defensive duties, twice found himself far enough forward to send in good crosses.

The first was headed weakly by Cobbs at Ender as he collided with a team mate, and the second bounced wide off Gargan after the keeper had failed to reach it.

Ender made one more fine save, beating away a venomous Hann shot after the winger had run on to a short corner and darted in to the penalty area, but with ten minutes to go it seemed as though United might have broken through when Hann raced clear on the right.

He pulled back a cross for Danny Phillips, whose shot rebounded off Ender and was knocked in by Gargan.

His hard-working performance would have been well rewarded by the winning goal, but he was denied as the assistant referee signalled that Hann had run the ball inches out of play before crossing.

It was as close as Sutton were to come as the visitors held out for a draw that always seemed the limit of their ambitions, Micky Demetriou being booked for time wasting in the last five minutes, and was celebrated enthusiastically at the final whistle.

Sutton: K Scriven, K El-Salahi, A Bray (sub D Phillips 52), J Goodliffe, S Perkins, S Cobbs, M Hann, A Pouton (sub S McKimm 59) S Gargan, S Watts (sub C Taylor 65), J Hawes. Subs n/u A Joseph, B Hawes. Booked: Hann (63-aggressive attitude), McKimm (73-foul).

Bognor: A Ender, J Crane, D Beck, L Ide (sub R Hudson H-T), T Bond, M Demetriou, J Walcott, M Wood, J Prior, G Barker (sub L Nightingale 80), P Cox. Subs n/u C Oatway, R Woolf, J Howell. Booked: Ide (44-foul), Hudson (63-aggressive attitude), Demetriou (86-time wasting).

Referee: R James (Bletchley) Att: 503