Narrow Defeat

AFC went into this game with something of a player crisis. There were two suspensions to Ryan Henshaw and Sam Clarke, while injuries ruled out Jordan Blackwell, Erkan Okay and Alfie Carroll. The result was that Manager Jamie Godbold named AFC Academy boys Sam Mills and Joe Wright on the bench along with Ipswich Town Academy loanee Kolade Saluadeen.

The trip to Enfield was always going to be tricky without key players and so it turned out and AFC came away unable to get anything from a home side that played for nearly an hour with ten men. The solitary goal defeat left them still in sixteenth place but only three points from the drop zone.

It was grey overcast and drizzly afternoon at Donkey Lane as the hosts kicked off and nearly took the lead following a first minute free kick, the ball being put over the AFC bar by Nathan Willings.

AFC’s first effort came from Sam Bantick who saw ex-AFC goalkeeper Nathan McDonald save low down, Bantick then put in Aidan Austin but his shot was weak.

Enfield struck after fifteen minutes; - Tyler French conceded a free-kick for a push in the back on the left on the defence, Billy Crook took it and the ball missed those in the penalty area going out to the AFC right hand side and was played back in with no Sudbury man getting near it Tyler Campbell fired low into the far corner.

The home side had a further chance a few minutes later when from across by Jonathan Muleba, Harry Ottaway fired just wide. Marcus Garnham in the Sudbury goal was again in action saving low down a fierce Ricky Gabriel shot after a breakaway.

Rob Eagle for AFC was buzzing around and had a shot blocked as AFC struggled for any real penetration.

Enfield were reduced to ten men on thirty-nine minutes when a lunging tackle by Livings on Jack Wilkinson was deemed red by the referee after consultation with his assistant.

Just before the break following a corner the ball came back to Bantick whose shot struck the post and bounce away.

Half-Time; - Enfield Town 1 AFC Sudbury 0

Down to ten men the hosts just sat behind the ball giving AFC plenty of possession and inviting then to break through the defence.

From a Sudbury free-kick Dylan Williams saw a shot tipped away by McDonald. Eagle became the first AFC player booked as he tripped Billy Crook who was away on the touchline.

AFC made their first change on sixty-five minutes with Liam Wales replacing Austin meaning Wilkinson going to left back. Wales got himself in the game early on breaking well up front but the ball was too often pumped into the heart of the Enfield defence where the sturdy Mark Kirby coped easily all afternoon.

Enfield were always dangerous on the break and substitute Micky Parcell got away and Garnham has to produce a good save to deny him. With twenty minutes left French had to made a good tackle to deny Campbell, the AFC youngster looking very composed at the back.

Williams got himself booked; it had been coming for most of the game as he upended Scott Shulton. Luke Callander was on the end of a cross but his header went wide of the goal.

With six minutes left AFC introduced Sam Mills for his first team debut with Williams departing and three minute later Joe Wright also made his first appearance for the club. During their time on the pitch they did nothing wrong.

Try as AFC did they could not break down the Enfield rearguard and when the final whistle went after some six minutes of stoppage time the home side were happy with their victory while the visitors once again had that non winning feeling.

Att 407

YNOT