Witham take all three points

A.F.C. Sudbury welcomed Witham Town to The MEL Group Stadium as the quest for a play-off berth continued amidst the avalanche of fixtures. New signing Jack Wilkinson claimed a place on the home bench as the relatively rested squad, they have been without a game for a week, looked to maintain their long unbeaten run.

Witham kicked off the tie with A.F.C. attacking from right to left as viewed from the Brian Tatum Stand. The game began scrappily, perhaps unsurprisingly given that the pitch had seen a Suffolk Premier Cup Semi-Final tie the previous evening and the sides took time to come to terms with the tricky surface. Jack Cawley launched a now trade-mark long throw from the left wing which the Witham defence headed clear whilst Steve Spriggs won the first home corner of the evening in the sixth minute. Ryan Horne’s right wing delivery was punched clear by Witham ‘keeper Martyn Guest rising through a crowd of players. Sudbury worked the game’s first real opening on eight minutes with a fine move. Michael Shinn’s stunning ball over the top to the on-rushing Steve Spriggs saw the Sudbury number seven move in on goal. As Guest rushed from his line, Spriggs sent a lob bouncing just wide of the left hand post.

Michael Shinn’s intricate ball into Sam Clarke saw the Sudbury captain win a corner after his cross was deflected behind the Witham goal. Horne’s corner fell nicely in the penalty area, but Steve Spriggs was adjudged to have been pushing and the whistle sounded. A pass back to Witham goal-keeper Martyn Guest looked fortunate to have passed by without penalty as Sudbury began to assert some superiority in terms of possession as the game passed ten minutes. A Sudbury free-kick for a foul, high feet on James Baker, saw the ball fall for Ryan Horne whose twenty yard shot was easily gathered by Guest. Former A.F.C. Sudbury striker Danny Emmanuel won the Essex club their first corner kick on thirteen minutes. Tom Wraight delivered the ball into a crowded home penalty area, but Sudbury cleared with ease.

Jack Cawley’s free-kick fell well for Sam Clarke in the Witham penalty area, his turn and cross reaching Steve Spriggs who teed up a shot which curled over the crossbar. It was Witham’s turn to apply the pressure when James Stevens looked to break through, but Greg Crane’s fine tackle stopped him in his tracks. Danny Emmanuel threatened to work his way into the home penalty area, but Alex Archer was quickly off his line to make the save. In a scrappy spell of play James Stevens hit a speculative effort from thirty-yards well over the cross-bar and Steve Spriggs curled a shot over the Witham bar in response after a fine ball out of defence by Ryan Henshaw.

A long run through the park by Conor Mead saw him shoot from just outside the penalty area. Alex Archer saved with customary comfort. Michael Shinn was booked on thirty-eight minutes for a foul, the resultant free-kick cleared with a towering header from Greg Crane. A fine cross-field ball from Steve Spriggs found Ryan Horne whose cross was just too deep for James Baker to capitalise. Henshaw stopped Danny Emannuel with a fine tackle and repeated the feat in tackling Lewis Godbold a minute later. Alex Archer saved well from a curling Kris Newby effort as the half ended goal-less.

Half Time; AFC Sudbury 0 Witham Town 0

Witham began the half by creating their best opening to date. Danny Emmanuel breaking through the defence only to hit a shot over the cross-bar when well placed. Emmanuel then found Kris Newby with a fine ball, only for Alex Archer to save with a superb block. The corner which followed was headed over the crossbar by Newby to bring some respite for a busy home defence.

The visitors asserted some pressure as they produced consecutive punched clearances from Alex Archer and a fine save from a Newby drive. Steve Spriggs made way for James Akintunde on sixty-six minutes as Sudbury looked to impose themselves on the game. Three minutes later Sudbury took the lead. Michael Shinn sent a fine ball into James Akintunde on the left wing. His skilful run into the penalty area saw him cross to Sam Clarke who slotted the ball past Martyn Guest.

On seventy-seven minutes Dean Green ended a promising Witham move with a shot high over the home cross-bar. A Scott Mitchell throw was turned on to James Akintunde by Matt Daniels. Akintunde worked his way into a shooting position, but his shot was blocked. Sam Clarke, who had earlier been fouled heavily on half-way, was replaced by debutant Jack Wilkinson on eighty-four minutes.

A minute later the game turned completely. Danny Emmanuel was awarded a free-kick just outside the home penalty area with contact looking very slight. James Stevens curled a fine set-piece hat took a deflection past Alex Archer to level the game.

In a frenetic end to the match, Witham grabbed a winner with three of the four added on minutes elapsed as Sudbury fell to their first defeat in the league in over four months. Kris Newby got down the right and crossed the ball to the far post where Dean Green headed down and there was Shamido Pedulu to net the goal to take the three points.

With fixtures falling faster than the winter rain, they have a quick opportunity to get the Play-Off push back on the rails, when Chatham Town visit the MEL Group Stadium on Saturday followed by a visit from Harlow Town on Tuesday 11th March.

Richard Whiting