Trophy Win At Maidstone

AFC Sudbury’s fine away form continued in the FA Trophy on Saturday when a brace of goals from Kris Newby (pictured) inflicted a first home defeat of the season on their promotion hopeful Ryman Premier Division opponents.

The Kent side might have had one eye on their forthcoming FA Cup replay against Stevenage but their cause was not helped when they had striker Jay May sent off mid-way through the first half. Take nothing away from David Batch’s team, they battled hard from the first whistle and were a goal up after 19 minutes when Newby scored with a glancing header before the hosts were reduced to ten men.

Sudbury defended stoutly, particularly after the break, and they fully deserved their win clinched by Newby’s second goal a minute before the game went into a lengthy stoppage time.

AFC boss Batch made five changes from the side that started in the midweek league cup victory against Leiston and after weathering early home pressure came close to breaking the deadlock after 13 minutes, when Jack Wilkinson’s long throw into the box was cleared only as far as Correy Davidson and his volley brought a fine tip-over save from home keeper Lee Worgan.

At the other end May failed to hit the target with a heading chance before Davidson broke down the left and managed to get to the dead ball line from where his cross found Newby and his glancing header from six yards beat Worgan and went into the net off the far post to give Sudbury the lead.

Four minutes later there was lengthy hold-up when tempers boiled over following a clash in the Sudbury half between Sudbury defender Ryan Henshaw and Maidstone’s May. The home player was eventually shown a straight red card for an alleged mis-use of the elbow. Before play was restored Maidstone manager Jay Saunders was ordered to leave his bench.

This was the start of a scrappy period of play in which yellow cards were shown for niggling tackles resulting in referee Mr James Whittaker calling the two captain’s together to calm things down.

Maidstone finished the half strongly and twice in quick succession Garnham made good saves. First tipping over Ben Greenhaugh’s free kick and then a reflex save to deny Richard Davies from the resulting corner.

Sudbury had a good chance to increase their lead seconds before the half time whistle but Davidson fired high over following another long throw.

Half time: Maidstone Utd 0 AFC Sudbury 1

Within seconds of the start of the second half Maidstone came close to equalising when the dangerous Alex Akrofi cut inside and unleashed a curling shot that beat Garnham but rebounded back into play off a post and was scrambled clear.

The home side continued to pile on the pressure but got little change out of some sound Sudbury defending.

It was not all one-way traffic as AFC looked dangerous on the counter attack and a Newby free kick was well saved by Worgan.

A sight the Sudbury fans did not want to see came after 67 minutes when the influential James Baker, who had gone to a more attacking role after playing in the defence during the first period, limped off injured, to be replaced by Terry Rymer.

With the hosts pushing more men forward in search of an equaliser Sudbury threatened every time they broke and another fierce shot from Newby deflected off a defender to bring a fine reflex save from Worgan. Substitute Jack Guyton forced keeper Worgan into a fine tip over save before, from another counter-attack, Newby sealed a fine Sudbury win with a second goal with time running out when he raced goal wards and beat the keeper with a low 25 yard drive.

There was a few nail-biting moments in the five minutes of stoppage time but Garnham went on to keep his second consecutive clean sheet and the final whistle was greeted with great celebration by the many AFC Sudbury fans among the crowd of 1423 for what was a memorable victory to earn a place in the third qualifying round of the competition.

Att 1423

PAT ARBON