AFC went into this game knowing that the three points on offer were vital as they endeavoured to climb away from the lower end of the league table. It was more important with their opponents in a similar position and a win would give them some breathing space from them.

The end result achieved the objective and saw a rise of one place up the league and an increase in their goal difference.

Manager Jamie Godbold on his birthday was able to recall both Sam Clarke and Ryan Henshaw, and he had new signing Danny Crow on the bench alongside Wayne Blackman making his first appearance of the season.

AFC started the game brightly putting early pressure on the visitors and after eight minutes they were in the lead. The ball was played around the Police box and came back out to full-back Jack Wilkinson, the defender shot from some twenty-five yards low and hard and the ball took a slight deflection off a defender and ended up in the back of the net.

The visitors had an attack and Macklin shot over the AFC crossbar. Sam Bantick looking lively had a fierce shot that Bishop in the Police goal tipped away for a corner. From it AFC scored. Rob Eagle out on the right side took and curled it to the far post where it hit the upright and went in to put AFC two up.

This goal seemed buck the visitors up and they took more control of the game for a ten minute spell. AFC replied with Wilkinson taking a couple of long throw ins one onto the head of James Baker and the other to Adam Tann both were saved.

Tyler French playing at right back, was having another good game under the eyes of several Football League scouts, and he made a great tackle in the penalty area to deny Michael-Percil. The same player had a chance when he went on a run but Marcus Garnham saved low down.

Half-Time; - AFC Sudbury 2 Metropolitan Police 0

The third goal in the game was going to be all-important. It was AFC who had the first chance to get it when Tann headed over a Bantick free kick. Tann then went down injured and received treatment but was able to continue.

French then showed he cannot only tackle but produced a sixty-yard cross-field diagonal pass to the feet of Eagle.

Sam Clarke looking effective in midfield took a booking for the team as he pulled back Hickey as he tried to break away. Michael-Persii combined with McLaughlin the latter having a shot saved by Garnham.

On seventy-five minutes Danny Crow came on for his debut and Wayne Blackman also entered the fray replacing James Baker and Dylan Williams.
Eagle then flicked the ball in the Police box finding Craig Parker who saw his shot blocked. Then debutant Crow had an opportunity to opening his AFC account but Bishop in the visitor’s goal denied him pushing his shot away for a corner.

AFC did however soon get that third goal. The ball was played by Clarke out to Bantick on the Sudbury right hand side, he crossed and there rising at the far post was Ryan Henshaw to head home powerfully.

Liam Wales took over from Bantick for the final eight minutes in which time the Police side had two efforts from substitute Summers, one went over the other wide and in stoppage time Salmon hit a long range shot that hit the AFC crossbar.

AFC saw the game out to celebrate their first win in six and a thoroughly deserved win it was to give the side confidence going forward.

Att 162

YNOT