A. F. C. Sudbury welcomed Folkestone Invicta to the Wardale Williams Stadium with three points essential as the club have been drawn towards the relegation zone. Joe Marsden made his home debut on loan from Leiston as the injury crisis at the club continues to bite deep into playing resources.

Folkestone Invicta kicked off the game, attacking from right to left as viewed from the Brian Tatum Seated Stand. A neat exchange of passes between Kieran Monlouis and James Baker saw the latter send the ball skidding across an unguarded six-yard area with no home player near enough to apply a killer touch. James Baker continued his threatening and strong start when he managed to find Sam Bantick whose shot was blocked after five minutes. Almost immediately Sudbury came on strong again, this time Monlouis saw his shot blocked by Invicta ‘keeper Tim Roberts. The loose ball reached James Baker whose shot flicked off the body of Sam Bantick and was cleared off the visitor’s goal-line as the home side continued their bright opening.

Folkestone replied with a flowing, fast attack in which an un-marked Miles Cornwall honed in on goal only for the ever-alert Marcus Garnham to rush from his goal to put in a crucial block. Adam Tann was on hand to repel a further Folkestone attack before Danny Crow fired high over the visitor’s crossbar. The speedy Sam Hasler cut inside to angle a shot just wide of goal as the game swung from end to end. Sudbury almost grabbed a twenty-minute lead when Joe Marsden hit a sweet free-kick against the left hand post following a foul on Kieran Monlouis. As so often happens in football, following the very near miss, the visitors grabbed the lead. Folkestone broke at pace and Ian Draycott was allowed too much time to find Sam Hasler in a central position and he finished neatly past Marcus Garnham.

Folkestone took the initiative as confidence surged through their ranks and only a stunning double save by Marcus Garnham kept the visitors from extending their lead. Joe Taylor and then Jordan Wright had shots saved, the latter from a mere metre out. A deep cross from Joe Marsden was headed over the crossbar by Danny Crow as Sudbury tried to respond to the set-back. They were level four minutes from the break when Sam Bantick’s free-kick was headed goal-ward by James Baker, pulling a blocking save from Roberts which fell for the well-placed Danny Crow to stab home.

H-T 1-1

A.F.C. Sudbury started the half well, Danny Crow’s cross from the right fell to a brilliantly-placed James Baker who had strayed just offside. A fine fifty-fourth minute break saw Sam Clarke release Danny Crow who in turn found James Baker whose shot was cleared from the line by Liam Friend with Tim Roberts beaten in the visitor’s goal. On the hour Joe Taylor hit a shot straight at Marcus Garnham, but a minute later A.F.C. Sudbury had the lead. Joe Marsden won a corner on the right wing which Sam Bantick delivered deep towards the far post. Ryan Henshaw leapt brilliantly with the ball seemingly behind him to head over the line via the crossbar, the ball bouncing out to Danny Crow who headed home to make sure. It was a good job he did as both Referee and Assistant said later they would not have awarded a goal had Crow not followed in to head home.

On sixty-eight minutes the game was made safe when Sam Bantick was tripped in the penalty area by Sam Beale and got up to drill low past Robert’s left. On seventy-three minutes Ian Draycott drilled a low free-kick towards the right hand post, but Marcus Garnham once again excelled in keeping the ball out. It was now Robert’s turn to make a double save, as James Baker broke free and had two bites denied by the Invicta ‘keeper. Danny Crow’s industrious afternoon came to an end on seventy-eight minutes when Jordan Blackwell came into the action. Three minutes later and new signing Ace Howell made his debut for A.F.C. Sudbury, replacing Sam Bantick.

On ninety-minutes Liam Wales came on to replace A.F.C. Sudbury man-of-the-match James Baker who left the action to warm applause. Three minutes of additional time were easily dealt with by A.F.C. Sudbury as they claimed a welcome, and well-won three points in front of a crowd of exactly three-hundred at the Wardale Williams Stadium.

Att 300

Richard Whiting