Steve Evans said a lack of quality was the reason Stevenage did "zilch" with the ball at Sutton United.

Boro drew 0-0 at Gander Green Lane and while the point was welcome in their push for promotion from League Two, it never looked like being morphed into three in a lacklustre performance.

And that was despite having the better of the possession.

The Boro boss said: "The first thing to do when you when you come and play at Sutton is have effort and determination and we had lots and lots of that. 

"What we didn't have was any quality in in the final third of the pitch and I don't think either side has made a chance in all honesty. 

"We didn't do enough and if you don't do enough, you don't win games. 

"The reality is we are a much better team but it's what you do with the ball. We didn't make it pay. 

"We got in some great areas in the first half but we give the ball away sloppily. 

"I'm not going to go away remembering this for too many of the right reasons. I'll remember it's a point at Sutton and I know it is a tough place to come. 

"I think Matt's team were the second form team leading into today so that tells you how well they normally do. 

"But they've been under the cosh for periods today, well, under the cosh in terms of us having a lot of ball on the edge of their box but doing absolutely zilch with it."

Evans had started with a front three of Jamie Reid, Jordan Roberts and Luke Norris but all three were sacrificed before the hour mark.

Their replacements of Daryl Horgan, Danny Rose and debutant Josh March fared little better though even if the former did put a header just over the top and the latter directed his headed attempt straight at Sutton's Jack Rose.

Evans said: "We didn't have our combination right in the front three and so we changed it and went with a different front three but I don't think that really changed it much. 

"We'll go away disappointed but we'll try and learn from it, like we do in every game. 

"In defence of the players, you know, we left Stoke and we didn't see a lot of them until Thursday because a lot have been very ill. 

"Maybe that's why Jake Reeves just felt his hamstring tighten up. It's not pulled or anything like that but the lad didn't come back into training until Thursday. 

"So there's credit to them for that but no credit to them because of the lack of quality in the final third. Normally we've been very good at that."

There was praise though for a reshuffled back five which saw Michael Bostwick and Jonathan Tomkinson come in for the injured Dan Sweeney and Terence Vancooten.

"Dan Sweeney could have played at a push," said the boss, "but we're not in the risk factor when we get into the first week in February. Terence is obviously out for two or three weeks and but Sweens could have played. 

"There's a strong possibility that Sweens to be back in training probably on Monday or Tuesday. 

"I thought Michael was Michael. He was outstanding, a stalwart. 

"JT beside him was very good and Carl Piergianni was the best player in the park for me. He was commanding, he was strong, he was a leader. 

"So from that point of view, I think defensively we've done our job to do really well."