Good First Half, Second Certainly Not

A.F.C. Sudbury welcomed League leaders Needham Market to The Wardale Williams Stadium on a very wet Bank Holiday afternoon. Needham Market came with a 100% record and a two point lead over nearest rivals Harlow Town.

A minute’s silence was observed before the match kicked-off following the very sad passing of former A.F.C. Sudbury midfielder Adie Hayes. Adie had been courageously battling a brain tumour and leaves us at the very young age of 36.

Needham Market won a free-kick on half-way with under a minute on the clock. Chris Hogg’s low shot skidded well wide of Alex Archer’s home goal as the ball zipped off the wet surface at pace. Needham settled first with Cunningham’s free-kick from midfield finding Darryl Coakley on the left whose cross deflected off a Sudbury defender amidst loud claims for a penalty. These were waved away. Ian Westlake’s cross whipped from the left wing was gratefully taken by Alex Archer to relieve the pressure.

The fast winger Luke Ingram an ex- AFC man, raced away along the right wing, but Sudbury number three Stefano Mallardo making his first team debut, put in a brave and timely tackle to halt the move in its tracks. Needham had a guilt-edged chance to take the lead on seven minutes. Sam Newson raced in on goal with the Sudbury defence claiming offside. Alex Archer sprung from his line, but Newson’s composure deserted him as he sent his shot woefully wide. Sudbury responded with their best chance of the match thus far. A throw into the penalty area was partly cleared to captain Sam Clarke whose rasping drive was brilliantly turned aside by Needham ‘keeper Shaun Phillips.

Newson again threatened to break through the Sudbury back line, and again looked fortunate to have escaped the offside flag, but Ryan Henshaw’s superb tackle snuffed out the danger. Kem Izzet sent a partially cleared Danny Cunningham free-kick high over the home crossbar on thirteen minutes as both sides continued to press. Skipper Sam Clarke was brilliant in stopping the busy Ingram on half-way, tackles being tricky to execute on the wet surface. Izzet found himself in the book for deliberate hand-ball on twenty minutes when a well struck ball seemed to strike him on the arm at the very best. Michael Shinn’s free-kick from the right edge of the penalty area was headed clear by Sam Nunn.

A.F.C. Sudbury took the lead on twenty-two minutes. A deflected shot from Lawrence Yiga (pictured) wrong-footed Phillips and nestled neatly in the back of the Needham net. Needham’s swift repost in the shape of another Ingram run was again stopped dead by a fine tackle by the impressive Mallardo. Sam Clarke flicked a neat pass onto Jake Reed who shot just wide of the far-post when coming in from the right wing with James Baker arriving at pace. Sam Nunn found his way into the book for a trip on Kris Newby and from the resultant free-kick delivered by Michael Shinn, Ryan Henshaw rose well to head over the crossbar.

Needham’s threat continued with Darryl Coakley latching onto a half cleared ball and rasping a shot towards the top corner of the home goal. Alex Archer dived to pull off a wonderfully acrobatic save at the expense of a left wing corner. Ingram’s dangerously delivered corner was headed clear by Craig Pope rising well in the host of players. Just after the half-hour Kem Izzet was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Kris Newby and therefore the visitors were reduced to ten men.

On thirty-five minutes James Baker had the ball in the net from a Michael Shinn corner, but the linesman’s flag ruled out the goal for an offside infringement. Needham Market then almost grabbed the equaliser. Luke Ingram broke free and sent a fine lob over Alex Archer who could only watch as the ball struck the crossbar and was gratefully cleared away up the park. Cunningham’s dangerous cross was cleared by a brave Mallardo header.

Perhaps Sudbury’s best move of the game came on forty-one minutes. James Baker sent a superb cross-field ball from the left wing into Kris Newby. Newby’s fine run saw his cross from the right just elude the on-rushing Jake Reed at the far post. Mallardo’s foraging run saw the young player shooting well with Phillips dropping to his left to concede a left wing corner.

An entertaining half ended with Sudbury a goal to the good and the league leaders still struggling to gain a foothold on the game.

Half -Time:- AFC Sudbury 1 Needham Market 0

Within five minutes of the re-start Newson was pulled down by Henshaw just outside the six-yard area as the half exploded into life with the award of a penalty to the visitors. Ingram stepped up to fire home, low to the right of the goal with Alex Archer electing to go the opposite way.

Stefano Mallardo was booked on fifty-five minutes as Sudbury struggled to find a way into the half. On fifty-eight minutes an advantage released Kris Newby whose ball into Michael Shinn saw the Sudbury number four fire over the crossbar. Danny Cunningham’s sixty-fifth minute free-kick went low through a group of players, with Alex Archer diving to his right to save well.

Needham’s second half dominance belied their man disadvantage; a Cunningham corner was poked goal ward and cleared from the line by Ryan Henshaw. A further corner from the right delivered by Ingram was turned behind by a stretching Lawrence Yiga.

Newson had the ball just outside the home six-yard area and only superb blocks from Henshaw and Pope denied the Needham number nine from scoring. Ryan Maxwell was booked on seventy-seven minutes before the visitors grabbed the lead. Ian Westlake was picked out by a fine right wing cross and buried his header past Alex Archer.

The next few minutes will perhaps live infamously in the A.F.C. Sudbury history books. Ryan Henshaw was shown a yellow for a foul, and immediately a red as if he had already been booked. Sadly for Sudbury, he had no previous booking in the match and they were rather erroneously reduced to ten men. Sudbury were then further reduced to nine men when Ryan Maxwell’s poorly timed tackle on Ian Westlake saw him issued with a second yellow card.

Keiran Morphew shot just left of the home goal as Sudbury’s shape disappeared. Jake Reed and Sam Clarke were replaced by Jack Guyton and Jordan Blackwell. From a punted goal-kick down the centre of the park Sam Newson applied some salt to the wound to make it 3-1 to the visitors before Sudbury were reduced to eight men when Craig Pope was issued a straight red card for violent conduct.

A disappointing match for A.F.C. Sudbury which boiled over as the second half wore on, leaving only eighteen players left on the park. Sudbury’s first half display should bring some confidence for the season ahead, whilst their second half display is probably best forgotten!

Att 343

RICHARD WHITING