It was a day to remember for the Yellows in our penultimate home game of the season, as we close the gap to Hitchin Town to four points. We lined up with Bradbrook in goal, Lewis, Cawley, and Dickens in the back three, in midfield we had Pinnington and Tarpey out wide, with Bradley and Hunter (C) in the centre. In attack, we had Neal, Jackson, and Allen. On the bench, we would be able to bring on, Oteng, Oluwatimilehin, Napa, and Page.

It was a scrappy start to the match, Coalville edging the beginning with a few corners early on. However, it was the Suds that took the lead. Jacob played the ball to Simeon who ran down the wing, and played a promising ball into the box, Joe Neal flicked it back and Josh Allen fired into the bottom corner, giving us an early lead. From that point onwards it was pretty much one-way traffic for the rest of the half. Oz had an audacious effort saved, as hit a shot from 25 or so yards out. Towards the end of the half, Colaville began to apply some late pressure, but nothing came of it. Practically on the stroke of half time, we capped of an excellent first half performance with an equally excellent goal, Joe Neal got the ball from a similar position to Tom Dickens’ earlier shot and guided his effort right into the bottom corner. Back with a bang on his first home start since February.

Half-Time: AFC Sudbury 2-0 Coalville Town

In the second half, once again Coalville started well, and they were rewarded. After a corner was whipped in, we failed to clear it and after a goal mouth scrap the ball was poked into the back of the net. We came fighting back though, Tarps got the ball on the edge of the box, and he saw his shot saved onto the post spectacularly. With ten minutes to go, there was a very welcome return for Malachi Napa as he came back from injury, replacing Ben Bradley who was awarded our Heineken Man of the Match after a magnificent performance on his first start for the Yellows. Throughout the second half, especially in the five added on minutes the fans, though it wasn’t a huge crowd, were absolutely fantastic, making so much noise spurring the players on to a HUGE three points.

Full-Time: AFC Sudbury 2-1 Coalville Town

Well, what a performance from the team. We blew them away, even if the scoreline doesn’t fully show that. We’ve got three games left. Two away, One at home. Let’s bring ourselves in numbers. As I said last week stranger things have happened in football than seven points from twelve available, now it’s down to four from nine potentially. We know, it isn’t fully in our hands, but if we do our bit, then that is half the battle.

UP THE SUDS

By Isaac Mennie