Three More Points

AFC arrived at Capershotts after a rainy day in Suffolk to find the pitch wet but perfectly playable and in much better condition than in previous years, testament to the good work done by the home officials. The visitors worked hard and came away with their second maximum number of points in away games in four days.

AFC Manager made a couple of changes to his side, with Jordan Blackwell, Jack Newman and Luke Callander starting, Ollie Berquez was on the bench and Stefano Mallardo was an absentee.

The contest started at a very brisk pace and this continues throughout what was an enjoyable first period that ended scoreless. In the opening salvos James Baker headed away and Blackman shot over for Abbey and Blackwell fired in from distance and Omand held the shot.

Callander put in a good cross field pass to Blackwell whoa gain chose to shoot and Omand did well to save. Waltham’s Assombalonga got away and Marcus Garnham came out and forced him wide to allay the danger.

Ben Robinson on the right side was showing great fleet of foot as he stormed down the wing to earn a corner from which Joe Maybanks found the ball at his feet and he side footed a goal bound shot that the keeper collected.

The game continued at a fast pace with both sides counter attacking, Assombalonga got away for the home side but Baker did well blocking his effort and he slid in.

Maybanks on AFC’s left was showing some neat touches and showed a clean pair of heels to his marker and cut inside, his choice was to shoot, it going over, his better option may well have been the charging Craig Parker unmarked in the centre.
Russell on the Abbey right was lively and if his final ball had been better on occasions then they may well have had better opportunities to score. One of his sorties led to Flack firing over ten minutes from the break, and four minutes later Blackman shot wide. It was a let off from their best chance of the half.

Half Time: Waltham Abbey 0 AFC Sudbury 0

AFC started the second period much more on the front foot than the home side and Callander and Blackwell combined well early on.

Some slack marking let in Assombalonga but Baker and Garnham managed to usher him wide of the goal.

The lead was taken on fifty-four minutes and it was a class goal. Robinson again getting forward and getting the ball to Joe Maybanks who has switched sides, and he glided inside his marker and placed a great left foot shot past the defenders and Omand in the Abbey goal.

Two minutes later Blackwell on the left put the ball inside and Jack Newman’s shot was tipped over the bar by Omand who was becoming increasingly busy.

Both sides made changes, AFC with Parker going off and George Clarke replacing him. On seventy-two minutes Sudbury’s lead doubled. Luke Callander was fully thirty yards out back to goal, when he received the ball; he twisted round his marker and fired off a looping shot that went over the keeper and into the top corner of the goal. It was a pleasure to watch.

Five minutes later the game and the points were wrapped up. Some great inter-passing between Blackwell and Wilkinson end with the latter crossing hard into the Abbey penalty area. The ball eluded the diving Omand and fell between an Abbey defender and Luke Callander and ended up in the back of the net with the Sudbury man credited with the goal.

Liam Wales and Ross Bailey replaced Maybanks and Newman for the final minutes of the game as AFC ran out victorious for the second time in four days.

Att 69 (of which over 20 were from Sudbury)

YNOT