A.F.C. Sudbury welcomed Witham Town across the border for this league game with the home side looking to build on their recent form that saw them defeat Worthing last weekend in the F.A. Trophy.

Sudbury were sharp out of the blocks when Joe Whight’s strong left wing run saw him cross for Sean Marks who couldn’t reach the ball, but Liam Bennett got a shot away which was gathered in the centre of the goal by Rhys Madden. A fine ball out of defence by Lewis O’Malley found Liam Bennett whose shot was deflected for a corner as the bright start continued for the home side.

On seven minutes Witham took the lead against the run of play. A miscommunication in the heart of the home defence, saw Paul Walker spill the ball and Marcus Bowers had the simplest of tasks in sliding the ball home. This injected a degree of confidence in the visitors and on twelve minutes Bowers sent a shot just wide of the Sudbury right hand post. A Joe Whight free-kick from just outside the penalty area flew goal-wards, only to find Madden well-placed in the centre of the goal and he gathered with comfort. On seventeen minutes A.F.C. Sudbury grabbed the equaliser. Callum Harrison’s corner was headed back across the danger area and Sean Marks’ header just crossed the goal line despite Witham’s desperate efforts to keep the ball out.

On twenty-three minutes Tom Maycock nipped the ball superbly through a Witham winger’s legs into the path of Joe Whight whose shot was blocked by Madden’s legs. On twenty-six minutes a neat run by Lewis O’Malley saw him beat three defenders before sending a shot wide of the right hand post. Scott Kemp looked set to break on the right wing, but excellent shadow play by Joe Grimwood saw the Witham striker forced wide and the chance evaporate. On the half hour Liam Bennet found Callum Harrison with a finely executed cross which the latter volleyed against a Witham defender. Six minutes later and Bowers hit a free-kick which was straight at Paul Walker. Billy Holland then laid off a fine pass into the path of Joe Whight who linked well with the on-rushing Tom Maycock whose shot flew just over the visitor’s crossbar.

A minute before the break, Witham again defied the run of play to take the lead. Luck played a hand once again when Scott Kemp thumped a ball against Joe Whight with the ball looping up and on towards goal, and despite a fine flying save by Paul Walker, the ball had just crossed the line, ironically very similar to the earlier Sudbury equaliser.

HT 1-2

Sudbury started the half well once again, on forty-nine minutes a series of headers in the penalty area saw Sean Marks head over the crossbar. On fifty-six minutes Callum Harrison blasted a free-kick straight at Madden as the home side strove hard for the equaliser. Yet another scramble on the hour saw Witham somehow survive intact as the pressure continued. Immediately, A.F.C. Sudbury fell two goals behind when Marcus Bowers picked the ball up just outside the penalty area and sent a thumping drive into the net giving Paul Walker absolutely no chance. Ben Hammett made way for Ben Hunter on sixty-two minutes as Sudbury’s young side looked to find a way back into this pulsating game. Freddie King came on to replace Joe Grimwood on sixty-eight minutes and three minutes on another goalmouth scramble saw Sudbury unable to penetrate the determination of the Witham defence when Baris Altintop headed the ball into the penalty area and Sean Marks had a few bites at the cherry, before Billy Holland hit the ball over the crossbar.

On seventy-two minutes Sudbury got a foothold in the game again when Callum Harrison’s one-two with Freddie King saw the Sudbury number ten cut inside and curl a superb shot into the top left hand corner of the net. Tom Dettmar came on for Billy Holland as a fine finale to the game promised to follow. With ten minutes left, Marcus Bowers could have sealed the win for Witham, but, clean through, he shot wide of goal with Paul Walker doing well to minimise the angle. A.F.C. Sudbury equalised with six minutes left when substitute Tom Dettmar headed on a high ball from Joe Whight and the ball beat Madden and nestled in the back of the net.

In the final minute, Sudbury looked to have sensationally stolen the points when Callum Harrison’s thunderbolt cannoned off the right hand post and Sean Marks leaped to head home, only to be adjudged offside. Liam Whipps was shown a second yellow deep into injury-time for a foul on Baris Altintop as the home side continued to press for the winner.

A fantastic game of football which ebbed and flowed and was never short of incident. A fine fightback by Sudbury and a victory denied them by some tenacious Witham defending, the width of a post and a linesman’s flag.

Richard Whiting