Points Dropped

Just some forty-eight hours after getting a great result away in the FA Trophy AFC returned to The Wardale Williams Stadium to try and maintain their push near to the top of Ryman North.

It was to be a very frustrating evening as the Essex visitors stole away to the Colne estuary with all three points, in a game that for the most part the home side had possession of the ball. That said if you cannot score when in possession you pay the consequences and Brightlingsea took their opportunities.

AFC Manager Jamie Godbold made a couple of changes to his side, Captain Sam Clarke returning for Ollie Berquez and including new signing George Clarke on the bench against his old club. The visitors included three former AFC players in their team, Ollie Bowles, Terry Rymer and Russell Malton.

The first action saw Marcus Garnham in the AFC goal save well from Howell to concede a corner. The visitors thought they were away when Malton burst through but he was given correctly offside. Mayhew wasted a chance after some poor marking from a throw in before Josh Gould fired in a fierce shot from range. The ball struck the foot of the goal post hit Garnham on his back and there was Rymer to put the ball into the goal. The ex-AFC man however was offside from the original shot and the goal not given.

Jack Newman ventured forward from his left back role and his shot earned a corner from which there was confusion in the visitor’s penalty area but the ball was eventually saved by Bowles. Griggs burst down the Brightlingsea right and Malton took over only to fire wide across the goal.

Luke Callander and Bowles went up for a long ball with Bowles and it fell to Jordan Blackwell whose shot was saved at the expense of a corner.

After a great game on Sunday young central AFC defender Stefano Mallardo was proving his worth again to the team with a fine interception and then putting in a great diagonal ball to Liam Wales.

From a visiting corner AFC broke away and Ben Robinson saw his cross field ball into the penalty area scooped away. AFC continued to attack with Callander, Craig parker and Blackwell combining with the latter’s low shot saved by Bowles and then blocking a Callander effort to concede a corner.

Brightlingsea took the lead in the thirty-sixth minute. A corner from the left was headed back down to Turner who poked the ball goalwards and from close range Read helped the ball over the line.

It took only two minutes for Sudbury to get level. Robinson receiving the ball from Blackwell steamed down the right swung the ball into the penalty area and there Luke Callander (pictured) slid the ball past Bowles.

With five minutes of the half left, Sam Clarke suffered a recurrence of his injury and had to leave the fray, his name same George came on for his AFC debut.

Half time; AFC Sudbury 1 Brightlingsea Regent 1

The visitors made a change at the break with Kelly taking over from Howell.

George Clarke eager to impress against his former colleagues did well feeding Blackwell on the right but his shot was blocked. AFC continues to press with Callander forcing Bowles to come sliding out to save at his feet. The AFC forward was then on the end of a Robinson cross but headed over the crossbar of Bowles.

On sixty-four minutes after having the ball for the majority of the half AFC fell behind for a second time. Mayhew fired in a hard shot that Garnham did well to save but was unable to hold onto the ball and the alive Rymer gratefully accepted the chance to score against his old side.

Three minutes later the score line was worst for the home side as from a free kick on the right Josh Gould rose unmarked to head down and in to the bottom left hand corner of the AFC goal past the depairing dive of Garnham.

Both sides made changes with Robbie Martin taking over from Wales and Phillips replacing Mayhew foe the North Road club.
Callander was again the recipient of a long ball and his out stretched foot sent the ball over Bowles and just wide of the goal.

Malton went off and baker took his place and James Baker came on for AFC taking the place of Newman. Baker took up a former role of his, up front and he had a few early chances to beat his marker in the air and get the ball forward.

AFC had the ball in their possession but could not produce any worthwhile goal scoring attempt except after Joseph was booked and from the free kick Parker forced Bowles in the flying finger tipped save.

Rymer found himself booked for needlessly kicking the ball away as the game ended disappointing for the home side and their supporters.

Att 201

YNOT