Sutton United boss Paul Doswell was pleased with the way his players responded to an honest half-time team talk to earn an important point from their Vanarama National League clash with Wrexham on Saturday.

After two difficult road trips to Dover and Barrow, the U's looked fatigued in the first half and the Welsh side took full advantage to forge ahead in the 20th minute.

Scott Boden threaded a pass through to on-loan Blackpool striker Scott Quigley who confidently fired past Sutton goalkeeper Jamie Butler.

The Dragons looked dangerous in attack but the United defence - in which Simon Downer, Simon Walton and Terel Thomas all impressed - held firm to limit the damage.

A few choice words from Doswell and his coaching staff at the break had the desired effect as the U's started the second half in determined fashion.

In the 47th minute Kieron Cadogan and new striker Byron Harrison combined to earn United a corner.

Cadogan's set piece was met by Tom Bolarinwa whose looping header was tipped onto the crossbar by goalkeeper Chris Dunn but the ball fell to Walton who gleefully fired home the close-range rebound.

United went on to boss the second half but just couldn't find that all-important second goal.

Harrison caused the Welsh side a few headaches as Sutton's target man and the new recruit from Barrow was unfortunate to see a header narrowly miss the top corner.

For all their early promise, Wrexham seemed to run out of attacking ideas in the second half.

However, the Dragons almost won it in injury time when substitute Akil Wright forced Butler to make a fine stop from a 30-yard piledriver. The Sutton goalkeeper then had to be alert to thwart Jonathan Franks from pouncing on the rebound.

The U's almost nicked it themselves when, in the final seconds, Bolarinwa's deflected dipping shot from 25 yards was destined for the top corner before Dunn tipped it over.

"I thought it was a fair result. We weren't at the races in the first half, at all," Doswell told SUFCtv.

"It was the worst first half we have played, in terms of the context and the importance of the game.

"Words were said at half-time as we just didn't feel anybody was performing at their normal levels. We asked for more and said to them that they're missing an opportunity.

"It was a similar team talk to the one we gave against Cheltenham last season in the FA Cup where we were 1-0 down and just didn't perform.

"Bairdy (head coach Ian Baird) gave an excellent half-time talk and the lads responded very quickly.

"We controlled the second half for large periods and we had enough chances at the end to win it.

"But it was a great day. We had 2,600 here with great support for Wrexham, they had nearly 500.

"That's the end of a long, long week for us and tiredness definitely kicks in. Five points is a good return."

Sutton are now in fifth place in the division. They travel to 23rd-placed Torquay United tomorrow night (February 20) and then host bottom side Guiseley on Saturday (February 24).