AFC Sudbury had two matches this evening, splitting the first team squad and including some very lively and keen Reserve and Academy players in this match at a very wet and slippy Recreation Way. The two AFC squads were published on the website the previous evening but both line ups saw a few changes, including young Curtis Child in goal, and it was his impressive performance between the sticks that ultimately won this fixture for a slick looking AFC Sudbury.
1 Curtis Child
2 Sam Mills
3 Jack Wilkinson
4 Jack Newman
5 Adam Tann
6 James Baker
7 Bradley Beevis-Buchanan
8 Rob Eagle
9 Liam Wales (GOALSCORER)
10 Craig Parker
11 Jordan Blackwell
12 Joe Walker (replaced Beevis-Buchanan)
14 Callum Hemson (replaced Parker)
15 Jake Colclough (replaced Mills)
16 Thomas Dettmar (replaced Newman due to injury)
Both sides were playing new players and much discussion was had trying to ascertain who was who! No teamsheet or programme was produced and I forgot to count the crowd for the stats! AFC started off well against an impressive looking home side who will fare well in the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division this season. Mildenhall included trialists in the first half and were bringng on their regular first team players from last season who had won the League Cup for ex AFC Sudbury goalkeeper and Mildenhall Town manager Dean Greygoose. AFC Sudbury on the other hand were bringing on the younger players from around the hour mark and they more than held their own ably assisted by an impressive Curtis Child who played for the entire 90 minutes despite turning up for the match and expecting to see Marcus Garnham between the posts for the majority of the match.
The pitch was in great conditon as always at Recreation Way and led to some great passing moves down the left wing with one such move leading to the only goal of the match when Jack Wilkinson fed the ball forward to a lively Jordan Blackwell who sprinted past some Mildenhall Town defenders and crossed for Liam Wales to smash the ball into the roof of the net for what proved to be the winning goal.
News followed that AFC Sudbury were losing 0-2 at home to Haverhill Rovers via twitter feeds that would not have existed for the last time I attended a match at Mildenhall Town! With the hoem side bringing on their senior players, Curtis Child found himself more in demand and from one really powerful towering header, Child somehow flung himself across the face of the goalmouth to tip the ball away for a corner.
A really good performance and workout for the players used, with the young substitutes looking lively when introduced against a strong home side, ultimately though the goal from Wales and the saves from Child made this performance for AFC Sudbury.
IWRBATP