Tranmere extended their League Two winning run to four games with a 2-0 victory at Sutton.
Kane Hemmings – from the penalty spot – and Paul Lewis grabbed the goals to inflict the injury-hit U’s to a fourth-straight defeat.
Already without a number of key players, Sutton could not have endured a worse first half when they were forced into two changes at centre-half.
Hemmings opened the scoring in the 19th minute as he converted from 12 yards after Lewis was brought down by Joe Kizzi.
The visitors then twisted the knife with the last kick of the first half as Lewis raced away to fire past the advancing Lewis Ward.
Sutton’s spirited efforts after the break came to nothing.
Kizzi squandered Sutton’s best chance when he volleyed the ball over from close range before Elliot Nevitt missed a late chance to widen Tranmere’s margin of victory when he miskicked when through on goal.