Another Three Points On The Road

AFC Sudbury stretched their lead at the top of the table to 10 points after a goal in each half gave them victory at a very windy Thamesmead Town.

The hosts got a goal back late on and then had a player sent off which did little to help them back into the contest and Sudbury comfortably held on to complete the league double over the London side.

With striker Luke Callander still unavailable manager Jamie Godbold selected an unchanged side which meant that James Baker led the line for second time this term. He went on to have a fine game, scoring his first goal of the season and twice hitting the woodwork.

Sudbury had almost a gale force wind behind them in a first half which did little to help the game as a spectacle and it took some time some time to burst into life.

Neither keeper was tested until the 31st minute when from a left wing corner Thamesmead came close but Marcus Garnham in the Sudbury goal palmed away a close range header to deny the hosts.

This was the start of frantic spell of pressure mainly on the Thamesmead goal as in the next minute Sudbury won a left wing corner and from it a James Baker header hit the cross bar and bounced down on to the line and was scrambled away.

The AFC pressure continued and the deadlock was broken with a fine finish from Baker after 34 minutes. Jordan Blackwell, who had made several promising moves down the flanks, this time broke down the right and his low cross found James Baker (pictured) on the edge of the area and his clinical left foot shot curled into the top corner leaving the home keeper rooted on his line.

Half Time:- AFC Sudbury 1 Thamesmead Town 0

Despite having the strong wind in their faces in the second period it was Sudbury that looked the more likely to score and they came close within a minute of the restart when Blackwell broke but fired inches wide.

The visitors doubled their lead after 66 minutes when Craig Parker scored from the penalty spot after he was fouled in the box following good build-up play.

Thamesmead had rarely threatened but they got a goal back after 76 minutes when Theo Fairweather-Johnson seized on a defensive error to beat Garnham with a fine finish.

With eight minutes remaining Thamesmead were reduced to ten men when central defender Farai Hallam was red carded as last man following a foul on Blackwell who raced goal wards following a fine refereeing advantage after a foul on Parker. The free kick came to nothing.

Sudbury came close to a third goal in stoppage time when a fierce shot from Baker struck a post.

Att 102

Pat Arbon