Well AFC remained unbeaten after this entertaining encounter, but they left it very late into stoppage time to get the leveller. The home side had led twice and had several good chances to settle the affair, but poor finishing and great goalkeeping proved enough to take a deserved point.
AFC Manager Jamie Godbold returning to his old stomping ground of Crown Meadow made some changes to the team’s starting line up after Saturday’s victory over Enfield Town. In came full back Jack Wilkinson for his first game of the season and Jack Newman took over from Dave Cowley in the midfield area.
The game was only eight minutes old when the home side took the lead. Some slack marking down the AFC left side saw Henderson cut inside and fire across the goal and into the net with Marcus Garnham beaten.
Lowestoft continued to dominate the game with AFC unable to get the ball to stick up front where Liam Wales patrolled alone, many balls played up to him far to high for him to control.
The Sudbury rearguard were under constant pressure, James Baker having to be alert to deny ex-AFC man Jake Reed on several occasions. Garnham was ever alert saving from Bammant and then punching away a high ball into the box.
Reed again was in a dangerous position as he broke free but he was tardy and the ball was cleared. The home side deservedly went in leading at the interval.
Half-Time; - Lowestoft Town 1 AFC Sudbury 0
The visitors made two changes as the teams started the second period with Luke Callander and Ben Robinson replacing Newman and Adam Tann.
Aaron Greene out on the AFC left began to get far more into the game and was causing the home side to defend a great deal more than previously. Indeed Sudbury looked the better side all together and it was no real surprise that the equaliser came. The ball came out to the unmarked Craig Parker who sent in a trademark shot to beat Jessup in the Lowestoft goal.
The home side countered and Garnham saved well from Blake-Tracy and then Reed was guilty of another wasted chance for them.
With eight minutes of normal time left Sam Bantick took over from Wales who had put in a good shift on a hot afternoon at the seaside. The remaining eight minutes plus stoppage time prove to be very eventful indeed.
On eighty-four minutes AFC fell behind to a fine solo goal. Substitute Marsden received the ball in the penalty area, controlled it and flicked it over James Baker and the volleyed it into the net giving Garnham no chance. It was goal worthy of winning a game, only it didn’t.
Reed blasted the ball into the penalty area and the referee deemed that Jack Wilkinson had handled it. There appeared no complaints except perhaps from ‘Wilko’ himself. Interestingly no yellow card was issued. Already a goal up a third would have settled the game with only two minutes left. Henderson stepped up and blasted it to Garnham’s left and the big man spread himself and pushed the ball away for a corner.
Lowestoft were awarded a free kick on the right, the ball was crossed and headed goalwards by Jarvis but again Garnham stretched himself again to save.
To everyone’s surprise the match official declared six minutes of added on time and they were six minutes of action.
With AFC pressing forward in search of the equaliser the ball broke to ex- AFC man Jamie Forshaw who broke away and was one on one with Garnham. It was the Sudbury man who came out on top saving well.
Forshaw then got behind the AFC defence and crossed to the unmarked Henderson who should have scored but he somehow skied the ball over the bar to the amazement of all.
There was still more to come and it left the home side ruing their missed opportunities as AFC deep into stoppage time, indeed ninety-five minutes scored. The ball was played in Jessup punched it up it struck the bar and came down and there was ex- Crown Meadow favourite Rob Eagle to head home from very close range.
The final whistle went just after the re-start and the point gained was no more than the South Suffolk side deserved after a much better second forty-five minutes.
The home supporters left deflated but the travelling AFC fans made the long journey home happy having seen their side perform very creditably to remain unbeaten.
Att 580
YNOT