A.F.C. Sudbury welcomed mid-table side Maldon and Tiptree to the Wardale Williams Stadium determined to build on a table-topping start to the season as the 3G era moves on.

A.F.C. Sudbury kicked off the match attacking from left to right as viewed from the Brian Tatum Stand. Maldon and Tiptree began strongly with Matt Lock swinging in a left wing cross which James Baker rose strongly to head clear. Robbie Martin then cleared an attempted switched ball on the right before James Baker sent a fine ball forward for Liam Wales to chase. His cross from the right wing was met by the jump of Danny Sambridge in the visitors’ goal and the danger passed for the visitors.

On six minutes Sudbury were highly unfortunate not to wrestle the initiative with a goal. Ross Bailey sent a sweet pass over the Maldon and Tiptree midfield which was gathered by Jordan Blackwell using his pace well to arrive first to the loose ball. He cut inside and sent a low drive thudding off the right hand post with Sambridge beaten.

Maldon and Tiptree were not to be silenced however. Hamish Galbraith rose to head for goal in the centre of the home penalty area, only for Ryan Henshaw to out-jump him and send the ball away via a thumping header.

Liam Wales made some space in the visitors’ penalty area, but their well-drilled back-line was on hand to deal with the danger, Ben Wyatt quickly across this time put in the timely tackle. Again the visitors looked to break at pace and Femi Akinwande’s break at pace had to be curtailed by a fine stopping challenge by Robbie Martin.

Following a Maldon and Tiptree free-kick which Ollie Canfer did well to send clear of danger with his boot, Sudbury streamed forward. Ben Robinson raced along the right wing to cross for Luke Callander, but only by taking a block in the face did Galbraith deny the Sudbury number nine a goal-scoring opportunity. From a fine defensive header by James Baker, Ross Bailey sent a superb ball through the centre of the park for Liam Wales to chase only for some more well-drilled defence to deny Sudbury an opening.

At the other end in this frenetic match, the dangerous Darren McQueen raced forward with Ryan Henshaw executing a fine tackle to avert the danger. There was a moment of interest in the visitors’ penalty area when Sam Clarke and Ollie Canfer battled for the ball and a ricochet from a Maldon defender took the ball into the hands of ‘keeper Danny Stambridge. This was adjudged to have been a back-pass, but despite the close proximity of the free-kick, or perhaps more likely because of it, the shot was blocked and cleared.

The lively McQueen raced clear to cross for Danny Mills whose downward header lacked power and was an easy grab for the well-positioned Ollie Bowles. On thirty-four minutes Sudbury were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the visitors’ penalty area when Ollie Canfer was tripped by Lewis Probert. Luke Callander struck the ball against the wall and Sam Clarke followed up with a shot deflected for a corner on the right. Ross Bailey’s corner was cleared by the visitors’ defence and, as they broke, Ben Robinson grabbed McQueen and received a yellow card for his foul. From the resultant free-kick Danny Mills fired over the home crossbar as the game continued to swing to each end with a highly entertaining frequency.

Ben Robinson then exchanged passes with Liam Wales to sweep into the Maldon and Tiptree penalty area where the ball was hurriedly smuggled behind for a corner kick. Ross bailey delivered, but the whistle sounded for a foul in the penalty area but another promising attack failed to produce.

The final moments of the opening half were action-packed. Ross Bailey was shown yellow for holding David Segura-Garcia whose free-kick clipped the wall, crossbar and was finally clawed away by the finger-tips of Ollie Bowles. Danny Mills then blasted wide when well-placed in front of the home goal before Kieran Moniouis was stopped in full-flight by Robinson’s excellently-timed tackle. With a minute remaining from the break Femi Akinwande danced his way into the home penalty area only to see his shot graze the post as both sides somehow made it two half-time without securing a goal.

Half Time;- AFC Sudbury 0 Maldon and Tiptree 0

Ben Wyatt received a yellow card for a foul on Ben Robinson on half-way as the half began. From the resultant free-kick by Ryan Henshaw, the visitors’ defence coped well and the ball was cleared without drama. At the other end Danny Mills was again denied a chance when Ryan Henshaw rose to head clear with power.

Ross Bailey lost possession on the edge of the Maldon and Tiptree penalty area, but when back in control of the ball sent a fine curling shot just over the crossbar. The deadlock was finally broken on fifty-three minutes. Femi Akinwande raced clear on the right wing before cutting the ball back into the path of Darren McQueen who slid the ball easily past Ollie Bowles with the home defence all at sea.

On fifty-six minutes new signing Sam Bantick came on to replace Jordan Blackwell as A.F.C. Sudbury went in search of an equalising score. Ross Bailey found a fine pass to send to Bantick on fifty-eight minutes, but his low drive was an easy gather for Sambridge. Tyler Brampton then stopped Liam Wales with a fine last-ditched tackle as the perfect opening continued to elude Sudbury’s intense effort.

On sixty-six minutes Sudbury took off Ollie Canfer with Ollie Berquez coming into the action. Sudbury continued to press, but the visitors were still a handful on the break and a breakthrough was proving a hard proposition. A lovely move on seventy-six minutes saw Luke Callander find Liam Wales whose curling first-time shot flew just over the Maldon and Tiptree crossbar once again.

Sam Bantick’s debut was busy and determined, promising much for the home side in the future, and his seventy-ninth minute snap-shot flew straight at Sambridge as the A.F.C. Sudbury team effort continued unabated. on eighty-three minutes Luke Callander sent a free-kick placed just outside the Maldon and Tiptree penalty area high over the crossbar as time began to slide away from the tie for the home side.

Ross Bailey was replaced by Stefano Mallardo as the game headed towards injury-time. In the final minute, A.F.C. Sudbury’s forward pressure for an equaliser left them exposed at the back. Femi Akinwande capped an impressive performance when he broke with pace along the right wing. Despite a foul by Ryan Henshaw, advantage was rightly applied and Akinwande raced forward to skilfully finish past Ollie Bowles.

Despite a busy injury-time, A.F.C. Sudbury could not find a goal and the three points were successfully smuggled over the border into Essex. Sudbury have a chance to return to winning ways on Tuesday evening when they travel to Brightlingsea Regent for their latest league tie.

Att 220

Richard Whiting