A.F.C. Sudbury began their 2019-2020 league campaign at home to Felixstowe And Walton with 262 in attendance at the King’s Marsh Stadium.
Felixstowe kicked off the match, attacking from left to right as viewed from the Seated Stand. Sudbury started well with Reece Harris finding Harry Critchley on the left, the latter seeing his cross cut out by the Seasider’s defence. The visitor’s responded when Callum Bennett raced clear to cross, but Paul Walker, donning protective headgear after Saturday’s nasty injury sustained at Coggeshall, rose well to claim. On six minutes Felixstowe almost took the lead. Tom Debenham stole the ball from Sudbury skipper Joe Whight in the penalty area, but Baris Altintop was rapidly across to put in a vital and successful challenge. A minute later and Sean Marks fired a twenty-yard effort over the crossbar for the home side as the game flowed rapidly between the opposing penalty areas.
On ten minutes, former A.F.C man Isaac Skubich threaded a quick ball into Tom Debenham, but the flag was raised for offside. Felixstowe carved out another chance on fourteen minutes when Callum Bennet’s right wing cross was met at the far post by by Miles Powell, drawing a superb save from Paul Walker diving to his right. Sudbury were quick to respond when Adam Bailey-Dennis swept a long ball out of defence into the path of Freddie King who saw his drilled shot smothered by Seasiders’ ‘keeper Jack Spurling. The visitor’s keeper was again on hand on eighteen minutes when he was out quickly to block Tom Dettmar’s shot after the Sudbury number eight was sent through on goal by a beautifully weighted Joe Whight pass.
On twenty-seven minutes, Reece Harris sent a cross into the Felixstowe penalty area which Sean Marks headed into the path of Freddie King who struck his shot wide of the goal. Next it was Harry Critchley on the charge, his effort saved by the well-positioned Spurling. On twenty-nine minutes Joe White sent a curling free kick wide of the right hand post with Spurling unsighted and rooted to the spot. Two minutes later and Joe Whight sent a stinging, swerving shot goal-wards, only for Spurling to pull off a magnificent fingertip save. A deep cross from the right by Ben Hunter saw Spurling again off his line to gather safely before good strong running by Liam Bennet ended with Freddie King’s shot warming the gloves of Spurling once again.
HT 0-0
Liam Bennet’s fine run along the right wing saw his cross find Ben Hunter who headed wide when well placed at the far post with the half just a couple of minutes old. Another chance came on fifty minutes when Sean Marks found Freddie King whose shot was somehow smuggled clear after defeating Spurling. Sudbury continued the press with King turning provider with a cross from the right which Liam Bennett gathered only to find Spurling on hand again to gather his shot. On the hour, Armani Schaar crossed well for Tom Debenham whose header went wide of Paul Walker’s goal.
It was Schaar who would break the deadlock. On sixty-two minutes Jordan Matthews’ cross caused confusion in the home defence and the Seasiders’ number eleven was on hand to knock home from close range. On sixty-five minutes Freddie King was replaced by Panashe Mundawarara for Sudbury before Baris Altintop touched a Reece Harris free-kick just wide of the Visitor’s far post. Tom Maycock was sent on to replace Harry Critchley as Sudbury sought the equaliser. The excellent Liam Bennet again caused Felixstowe alarm when his seventy-second minute run saw his right wing cross strike the bar, but the absence of a yellow shirt to tuck the ball home was telling. Sudbury’s Bennet then struck well over three minutes later as the home side continued to work hard for a goal.
With ten minutes on the clock, substitute Tom Maycock crossed for Adam Bailey-Dennis to head over the crossbar. On eight-six minutes Reece Harris sent a stinging shot towards the roof of the net, only for Jack Spurling to produce another outstanding save to keep his side ahead. Sean Marks found Panashe Mundawarara on the edge of the penalty area, but his shot went wide before a further shot from Mundawarara was blocked at the expense of a corner kick. From the corner a tremendous melee in the Felixstowe penalty area saw Jack Spurling block at close range from Tom Maycock as the ball seemingly refused to enter the visitors’ net. Sean Marks headed a Liam Bennett cross wide as the five added-on minutes came to an end.
Felixstowe And Walton claimed the three points in a hard-fought match in which A.F.C. Sudbury created many good opportunities, but were denied by a resolute defence and a fine performance between the sticks by Seasiders’ goalkeeper Jack Spurling.
By Richard Whiting