This was a game too far as AFC slumped to their first defeat in nine games and in doing so had their Captain Sam Clarke (pictured) red carded meaning he misses three games over the Christmas period.

Missing from the AFC line up were both James Baker and Kris Newby though injury and suspension, while Ayrton Coley and Jack Guyton were called to the starting line-up, Correy Davidson was on the bench.

AFC had the first effort of the game with Ryan Henshaw having a shot following a long throw in, and minutes later Terry Rymer hooked the ball wide of the goal.

There was problem in the AFC defence as Henshaw missed a tackle on Asante and he went on towards the goal but Marcus Garnham was swiftly out and saved with his legs. Clarke was fortunate to avoid a booking as he took down Bakare but as play went on for a couple of minutes it seemed the match official forgot the incident.

Rymer had a shot saved by Marrable and saw a shot blocked. Akeley had a free kick some thirty yards out 10 forced Garnham to throw himself at the ball to save it and concede a corner. Lawrence Yiga then had to put in saving tackle as the visitors began to exert pressure.
Ben Robinson relieved some of it when he careered down the right wing beating several players but his shot was wide of the far post.
On the half hour mark came the sending off, Clarke went in hard on Ola and the referee deemed it dangerous so off went AFC’s skipper. Six minutes later the visitors were in front following a corner the ball bobbled about with Sendall shooting before it came back to Retkoceri who fired home.

Coley twisted and turned but his shot went well over, before a short time afterwards Lee Flynn took over from Guyton. Just before the interval Garnham again had to be alive to the situation saving low down from 10.

Half time; AFC Sudbury 0 Aveley 1

AFC started really brightly with Coley having a shot saved before the ball came back into the box and bobbled around before Ollie Berquez had a shot tipped over the bar by Marrable. It was the closest AFC were to come to a goal.

Yiga and Bakare clashed and firstly the AFC man was yellow carded then eventually Bakare. Coley and fed Flynn who put a high ball into the box and Henshaw headed over. On the hour Yiga was substituted with Davidson taking over.

Bakare went off for the visitors with Gregory taking over. There was a long throw followed by an AFC corner that cane to Flynn who had a shot go wide.

Aveley second goal came in the seventy-first minute, Ola broke away on the left Henshaw went across but the ball was crossed and there was Elliott to fired home easily giving Garnham no chance.

Sandall went off with Harrison taking over for Aveley, before Berquez got the ball off the line following a series of corners. Mark Ray came on for AFC with Coley going off.

There was a booking for Ola for kicking the ball away before Aveley scored a third in stoppage time. Henshaw committed a foul on the edge of the area and Stevenson curled the ball around the wall and through the hands of Garnham and into the net.

It was a real bad day at the office for AFC and they must regroup again on Tuesday and dig deep in their resources.

Att 175

YNOT