Out Go AFC

Well they say possession is nine tenth of the law, well AFC had the ball for the majority of this game but at the end of it they had only one goal, while the opposition had three!

AFC Manager Jamie Godbold seemed intent on taking the Suffolk Premier Cup competition seriously as he put out a strong side, with only Luke Callander and Sam Clarke rested to the bench.

Felixstowe had two ex-AFC players in the squad and one in particular went home really happy at the end of proceedings.
James Baker took the AFC captains’ armband as the home side kicked off before a very sparse crowd, indeed the lowest ever for a home SPC tie.

The visitors were quick out of the blocks and were in front after on sixty-six seconds. A cross field ball out to the right found Taylor who passed infield and there bursting through was the ex-Sudbury man Stuart Ainsley to shoot home passed the diving Luis Tibbles.

AFC replied with Liam Wales firing well over and for the next ten minutes or so the home passed the ball about well but there was no end product. Unfortunately that was to happen all too often throughout the game.

Midway through the half everyone was in the Felixstowe half except Tibbles, but there was no breakthrough even following a short corner from which Ollie Berquez headed over.

When the Thurlow Nunn side did break James Baker was there to make a good interception and Tibbles also held a shot from Taylor.

AFC best chance of the half came two minutes from the break when Robinson got into the box and fed the ball to Craig Parker, however his shot was way over the crossbar. Robbie Martin then had a shot go over and then as the half ended Crump in the visitors’ goal punched away a Martin free kick.

Half-Time: - AFC Sudbury 0 Felixstowe and Walton United 1

The second period started with Ainsley again shooting at the AFC goal, this time Tibbles saved low down. Wiggins was on the end of a good move and shot at the AFC goal from the edge of the area and again Tibbles denied the opposition.

Jordan Blackwell as energetic as ever did well on the left flank and it took a good defensive tackle from Bennett to stop him. Just before the hour mark Luke Callander took over from Wales and the burly striker shot over following good work by Blackwell.

On sixty-seven minutes AFC drew level, Jordan Blackwell picked up the ball and shot home from outside the penalty area.

For some reason Martin in the left back position squared the ball across his own penalty area and there was Powell accepting the gift, Tibbles however saved the day and the ball by rushing out to smother the ball.

The visitors were still active with Powell and Wiggins having efforts going wide. With fifteen minutes left Berquez went off and Ross Bailey replaced him. Powell for Felixstowe force Tibbles to tip over as AFC lost possession.

There was a glimpse of what Callander is normally good at as he shielded the ball well, turned and shot, however the ball was over the bar. He did the same a few minutes later but laid the ball off to Martin who also fired over.

With extra-time looming AFC were dealt a killer blow and it was Ainsley again who delivered it. A minute into stoppage time he collected the ball from the left and shot home. The Seasiders were not content with a one goal lead and on ninety-four minutes Powell scored their third goal to put them through to the next round.

Certainly not a vintage performance by AFC, despite the vast majority of possession there was a lack of positivity in front of goal and general lack of any killer instinct.

Att 88

YNOT