Sutton manager Matt Gray admits momentum is with his side as they kept pace with the Sky Bet League Two play-off contenders with a 2-0 win at in-form Newport.
Goals from Coby Rowe and Alistair Smith earned Sutton a third successive win and kept them two points off the top seven in ninth place.
It ended a five-game unbeaten run for County and Gray was pleased that his side passed a stern examination as they target a trip to Wembley in May.
“I’m delighted to keep the run going,” said Gray. “It’s a really tough place to come; I think they’re a good side with some good players and they were on a great run. So, to come here and keep the clean sheet and get a 2-0 win, I’m absolutely delighted.”
Rowe scrambled in the opener in the ninth minute after the Exiles failed to clear a corner.
Goalkeeper Jack Rose denied Offrande Zanzala and Charlie McNeill before Priestley Farquharson hit the post for the home side.
Smith sealed the win with a perfectly placed effort into the bottom corner in the 65th minute.
“I thought the first half was very even,” he said. “We took our moment, and they didn’t.
“The second half was similar, but we defended solidly and put our bodies on the line, and we looked a threat on the counter-attack. Again, we took our moment, and they didn’t take theirs.
“Jack was superb for us, and Ali Smith popped up with a really good goal. It’s a really good day for us.”
Sutton now host Crewe and Crawley in their next two games as they look to break into the top seven.
“We’ve got to 50 points, which was our aim,” said Gray. “I certainly didn’t think we’d get there at this stage back in late October, early November.
“But the run we’ve been on since then has been superb – right up there with anyone in the division. We’ve been as good as anybody, and momentum is really with us.”
Exiles boss Graham Coughlan praised Sutton for being more clinical than his side.
“We lost the midfield battle, that was a key area for the Sutton victory,” said the Irishman. “They were worthy of their victory and that’s why they are where they are in the division.
“Fair play to them, they had three shots on target and scored twice. They are a team that are clinical, confident and on the up.
“We had more than enough chances to score but you could see the lads were running on empty, it was a bridge too far for us.
“We were on our last legs, we were tired, lethargic and we lacked energy.”
