SUTTON United are four points away from a first-ever promotion to the Football League as Isaac Olaofe was on the scoresheet again in their 3-0 win at Maidenhead United on Saturday.
Lions forward Olaofe scored his 15th goal of the season in all competitions to put the south London side 2-0 ahead in the 79th minute after David Ajiboye’s 65th-minute goal.
Louis John scored from his own half in the 93rd minute to put Sutton four points ahead of Torquay at the top of the table.
The Gulls then dropped two vital points on Sunday as they drew 2-2 away against Stockport county.
Sutton have two games left – at home to third-place Hartlepool next Saturday and then at bottom-of-the-table Barnet the following weekend – and a three-point as well as plus-six better goal difference advantage over Torquay.
Torquay are the only side that can deny Sutton automatic promotion. They host Barnet on Saturday before going to Altrincham on the final weekend.
Also in National League, Alex Mitchell recovered from injury to play the full game for Bromley but the visitors couldn’t overtake Notts County and climb into the play-offs as the sides drew 2-2.
An own goal from Mark Ellis had Bromley in front in the 27th minute, before Kyle Wootton and Ruben Rodrigues scored two goals in nine minutes in the second half to put the hosts in the driving seat.
Tate Campbell’s leveller in the 75th minute rescued a point for Andy Woodman’s side.
Bromley are eighth, level on points with Chesterfield who are in the last play-off spot but have a plus-seven better goal difference with two games left.
The three teams behind Bromley – Halifax, Eastleigh and Dagenham & Redbridge – can also still reach the play-offs.
Bromley’s last two games are at Aldershot and at home against Notts County.
Midfielder Sam Skeffington got 90 more minutes of senior action under his belt in Barnet’s 3-0 defeat at Eastleigh, who have two games in hand on Halifax, Bromley and Chesterfield and trail the latter by four points.
In the Scottish Premiership, James Brown played right wing-back as Callum Davidson’s St Johnstone ended their league season by securing a Uefa Conference League place by finishing fifth after their 0-0 draw at home to Livingston.
The Uefa Conference League will start next season and is the third tier of European football after the Champions League and Europa League.
The Saints and Livi went into the game level on points but the hosts had a plus-two better goal difference and they comfortably claimed the draw they needed.
St Johnstone will go into the play-offs for the Europa League if they complete the domestic cup double by beating Hibernian at Hampden Park next weekend.
“It was an unbelievable achievement today,” former Millwall assistant Davidson said.
“Putting into perspective the week we’ve had – training, games, the semi-final, carrying very few players.
“It’s probably been overshadowed by the Scottish Cup and what’s gone on here behind the scenes in the last couple of weeks here.
“For me, it’s huge. I remember when we qualified with [former boss] Tommy [Wright], it was a great atmosphere here with 10,000 people. Hopefully we can get back to something like that.”
Graphic: @ShedCreative