The fact that the game went ahead and the crowd were able to see some good football, was due entirely to Groundsman Danny Crosbie. The septuagenarian had worked wonders in getting The Wardale Williams pitch in a playable condition. Granted it was heavy and cut up, but the young side put out by new manager Jamie Godbold made light of that to produce a performance that was a pleasure to watch.

The fact that the manager had to do without three experienced players, Lee Flynn, Lawrence Yiga and Craig Pope due to suspension and he brought in younger players to fill the gaps made the victory all the sweeter.

Josh Kerridge started the game sitting in front of the back four, Tyler Kemp in the rearguard, and Jordan Blackwell up wide on the left. The bench consisted of more young players, with Scott Kemp, Stefano Mallardo and his brother Gianfranco along with Kyren Clements joining them. James Baker returned to play in the centre of defence.

After being accompanied onto the pitch by AFC's Under 12's it was a bright start from AFC that saw Sam Clarke burst through after good work from Kris Newby and Ben Robinson on the right, with his shot going wide. Ollie Berquez then also fired wide after a poor clearance from Seal in the visitor’s goal.

Ranger then burst through the AFC defence and Marcus Garnham in the Sudbury goal seemingly blinded by the low sun shining in his face had trouble getting to the ball. Fortune smiled on the AFC keeper Ranger put the ball wide of the goal.

On eight minutes the lively Blackwell was fouled by Sparrow who was booked for his trouble. From the free kick taken by Newby the ball deflected off the defensive wall and clipped the bar as Seal attempted to tip it over. From the corner Rymer clipped the ball in and Ryan Henshaw had a good shot blocked.

The ball was spending the vast majority of its time in the Wakering half of the pitch and on twenty minutes ended up in the back of their net. Newby cut in from the right and dinked a great ball to Blackwell who calmly put it over Seal to score.

Blackwell was proving at thorn in the visitor’s side, as twice in two minutes he was the centre of attention. He firstly was bundled over in the penalty area but his appeal went unheard, but on twenty-six minutes he was brought down in the box by Sparrow. A second yellow card and off for the visiting defender, a spot kick for AFC. Up stepped James Baker to score the penalty.

Two became three minutes later. Robinson hit a shot from distance, Seal fumbled and Clarke was there following up to score.

Blackwell went through and ended up with nowhere to go and the ball ended up tamely in Seals arms. Newby incurred the wrath of the match official after a tangle with Skeels and was booked.

A minute before the interval the home side were four goals up and again it was Jordan Blackwell who was centre stage. Kerridge put in a cross and Blackwell cut in from the left and fired into back of the Wakering net.

The final minute or so of the half saw AFC continued to attack as they had done for the vast majority of the game.

Half-time; AFC Sudbury 4 Gt Wakering Rovers 0

Early action saw a Robinson cross headed over by Newby and a cross by the former held by Seal in the Rovers goal.

The visitor’s player-manager Trenkel was booked for a tackle on Kerridge, just before the hour mark when Sudbury added a fifth goal. Advancing on the Rovers goal Ollie Berquez had the ball on his left foot but seemingly unable to shot with that one transferred the ball to his right and fired home with Seal pushing the ball onto post before it entered the back of the net.

Ryan Henshaw went off and Stefano Mallardo took his place at the heart of the AFC defence shortly before they were reduced themselves to ten men. Captain Sam Clarke in the middle of the park went in hard on Strickland and was immediately red carded. It did seem a rather unnecessary challenge in that area of the pitch and in the context of the game that AFC were winning comfortably.

Scott Kemp took over from Terry Rymer who had battled hard for little reward. Wakering pulled a goal back, a poor clearance from Garnham went to substitute Johnson who crossed and there was Nash to flick the ball home from close range.

There was then first team debut for Gianfranco Mallardo who joined his brother on the pitch, with the Kemp brothers already on it was becoming a family affair, it only needed Johnny Kerridge to have been there to be with his brother Josh and the party would have been complete. Gianfranco was the 295th player to appear in the club’s first team colours.

It was Josh Kerridge who completed the scoring in the final minute as the twenty-two year old strode forward from midfield and the visiting defence went missing and he fired home for his first senior goal for the club. He became the club’s 142nd ever scorer.

It was a very comprehensive victory as previous mentioned on a pitch that cut up but it did not stop Godbold’s men from trying to play neat attractive passing football that was fully appreciated by the home supporters.

The win kept AFC in fifth place and the last play-off place in the table.

Att 259

YNOT