impressive debut for Tom Monk and three point for AFC

With a bitterly cold wind coming in from the Thames River AFC Sudbury scored two first half goals to secure all three points, Darren Theobald reports from Canvey Island.

With newly signed Tom Monk in the starting XI, AFC Sudbury started the match kicking towards the large terrace behind the goal. Sudbury had the first attempts with Callum Harrison firing towards goal, only just slightly too high and a free kick clipping the crossbar. Canvey then had some efforts, the no.10, who should have scored sees his header go wide. But it was on 18 minutes when Sudbury took the lead, new signing Tom Monk sprinting powerfully down the right wing, looks up and pulls the ball back to Reece Harris who made no mistake firing a thunderbolt into the bottom corner.

It only took a further 6 minutes for Sudbury to double their lead, this time the ball was gifted to Harrison on the edge of the area by Canvey defender James White as he slipped, Harrison calmly lays the ball off to Monk who makes no mistakes gently slipping the ball past the keeper, 2-0 what a debut! It was then mostly AFC for the remainder of the half, several shots from Phil Kelly, but nothing to really trouble their keeper.

Onto the second half and it looked like Sudbury had been given the brief “do not concede” as they defended solidly as Canvey pushed to get back into the match, Paul Walker in the Sudbury goal was in fine form and proved hard to beat today, in fact the only time he did get beat, Tyler French was there to clear the ball off the line. Daryl Coakley for Sudbury was unlucky not to make it three when his shot inside the area was just wide and young sixteen year old Liam Bennet, who replaced Kelly, with the best Sudbury effort of the half forcing a great save from the keeper who tipped it round the post.

A very solid team performance and impressive debut from Tom Monk. Let’s hope he makes a habit of scoring plenty of goals.

Next up is a home match on Tuesday against Brentwood Town with a 7:45pm KO.