On an afternoon which saw seven clubs from the National League fall to lower-ranked teams, Sutton were unable to add Aldershot to that list but there wasn't much in it, and with more composure when chances presented themselves U's would have at least taken the tie back to Gander Green Lane, an outcome which most observers would have felt was the correct one.
It won Browne the Aldershot man of the match award from the match sponsors, which was harsh on Dan Wishart, who had nullified the winger's threat until that point on a fine 50th appearance for U's, and on Aldershot's central defence, with a commanding performance from Omar Beckles particularly deserving.
A tactical substitution by Aldershot after just half an hour, and the sound of boos at the half time whistle pointed to a job well done by Sutton, but it would have been even better had they had something to show for it, and the tone was set early on as Tom Bolarinwa combined superbly with Dan Fitchett on the right and raced towards the by-line, but with three players waiting for the ball to be pulled back Bolarinwa blazed it high and wide of goal.
Further back, U's were excellent and the only discomfort to goalkeeper Ross Worner came from his own body as he required treatment for an injured muscle in his back early on, although Sean McGinty should have tested him from a right wing corner but sent his header harmlessly over the bar. Such was Aldershot's frustration that they made a change with little more than half an hour gone, Dan Walker replacing Sam Hatton, and Walker's first involvement was a storming run down the left and a low cross which was superbly cleared by Wishart as Richard Brodie moved in at the near post.
When they had openings, though, U's needed to make more of them and two free kicks in promising positions were both woefully overhit by Ross Stearn. He did far better shortly before half time when he drilled in a low free kick from just over 25 yards that was on target for most of its journey but which faded agonisingly wide of goalkeeper Phil Smith's left hand post.
U's best chance came just before the break when referee Richard Martin played an excellent advantage that was indicative of his performance after a foul on Bedsente Gomis, allowing Stearn to continue the attack and cut in from the left. His deflected shot looped to Bolarinwa, whose composure again let him down as he volleyed wide.
There was more threat from Aldershot after the break but still nothing to seriously trouble Worner apart from an inswinging free kick from Charlie Walker which evaded everyone and bounced just wide. It looked increasingly as though the tie would be continued at Sutton on Monday, with Aldershot unable to break through and U's lively on the break without getting a clear sight of goal.
Then Gomis was dispossessed as U's looked for a way through and Aldershot countered swiftly. Charlie Walker laid the ball wide to Dan Walker and his low cross was rolled back by Jim Stevenson in to the path of Browne, who had been involved earlier in the attack and who finished it with a first time shot which deflected off Dean Beckwith in to the top corner of the net.
Sutton's response was everything that their supporters would have hoped, but again the final touch was lacking. Fitchett snatched at a shot and pulled it wide after Craig McAllister had laid the ball in to his path when Aldershot failed to clear a Kevin Amankwaah cross, and when Bolarinwa did everything right having broken clear again and pulled the ball back from the by-line, McAllister was denied on the goal-line by a combination of Smith and Cheye Alexander.
Wishart put a free kick disappointingly high and wide, but with Sutton pushing forward they were vulnerable to the counter attack and when a corner was cleared Aldershot broke at pace and Charlie Walker looked set to clinch the tie when substitute Stuart Fleetwood, who had chased back the entire length of the pitch, produced a superbly judged challenge to divert the ball for a corner.
Almost as good was Worner's save soon afterwards when he turned aside a dipping 20 yard effort from Alexander, but hopes that these interventions might enable U's to snatch a last minute equaliser were dashed when Craig Dundas directed an unmarked header wide from a Gomis cross.
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