A.F.C. Sudbury welcomed second-placed Heybridge Swifts to the King’s Marsh Stadium on a windy afternoon where the recent wet weather meant this was the only local game to survive intact.

A minute’s applause was observed before kick-off to mark the very sad and untimely passing of B.B.C. Radio Suffolk’s local sport reporter Simon Warr. Simon’s unwavering enthusiasm was a memorable feature of any game he covered, regardless of the sport, and that wonderfully eccentric, yet always honest delivery, will be greatly missed. Our sympathies at the club are extended to his family and to all his many friends.

A.F.C. Sudbury kicked off the game attacking against the wind which was brisk and flowing straight down the ground. Billy Holland found Liam Bennett with an early ball, only for Swifts’ Cocklin to clear. Adlington-Pile then found Osei-Owusu for the visitors, the resultant cross clearing Paul Walker’s crossbar via a header. On eight minutes Liam Bennett showed characteristic pace along the right wing. The Sudbury number two cut inside to send a deflected shot towards goal, only for Swift’s keeper, Sudbury Academy member Luca Collins, to drop to his right and pull off a fine save.

On fourteen minutes Billy Holland unleashed a shot from twenty-yards which sailed high over the Heybridge Swifts goal, before Liam Bennett shot straight at Collins as both sides looked to acclimatise to the windy conditions. Baris Altintop threaded a neat pass into Ethan Mayhew, but again Collins was alert and thwarted the Sudbury number seven’s attacking intent. On twenty-five minutes Joe Grimwood headed a right wing corner onto the crossbar as the home side came close. Teniola hit a shot over the home crossbar on the half hour after some fine work by a determined and hard-working home defence. Heybridge were enjoying their best, and most pressing period of play and were denied a real chance when Lewis O’Malley put in a superb sliding tackle on the edge of the home penalty area.

Paul Walker then pulled off a fine flying save with Joe Grimwood on hand to block as the loose ball threatened to be tucked away by Swifts. Osei-Owusu was denied a route on goal by a superb Baris Altintop tackle as the home side continued to put in terrific work all over the park. Heybridge finished the half on top, with A.F.C Sudbury fighting a fine rear-guard action. Paul Walker found himself and the ball, bundled into the net on the stroke of the half-time break, but the sides went in level after a highly entertaining forty-five minutes of football in challenging conditions.

HT 0-0

Sudbury began the half with purpose, Callum Harrison winning a free-kick on the left edge of the penalty area which the Swifts’ defence cleared comfortably. Lewis O’Malley’s stooping header in the penalty area looked promising for the home side as the ball slid across the six yard area, but the ball was cleared again by the visitor’s defenders. On fifty-seven minutes Tom Maycock’s fine run through the centre of the park ended with a shot that went straight to a comfortable Luca Collins. On fifty-seven minutes Teniola broke free through the centre of the home defence and clipped the ball over Paul Walker for his twentieth goal of the season for Swifts. A fine finish. At the other end Callum Harrison sent a shot wide of the left hand post as the home side looked to respond. On seventy minutes, only some brilliant defending saved Sudbury from falling two goals behind before Sudbury were awarded a penalty when Teniola was adjudged to have handled on the edge of the penalty area. Callum Harrison stepped up to drill the ball low into the bottom left hand corner of the net with a finely struck spot kick.

After some even exchanges, Sudbury’s growing confidence and possession was rewarded when a corner swung in on the wind struck the arm of a Swift’s defender and Callum Harrison again drilled the ball past Collins who guessed correctly, but could not get a hand on the superbly struck penalty kick.

Heybridge Swifts came strongly at their hosts for the last minutes of the game and the added on six minutes, but this resolute and determined A.F.C. Sudbury side more than held on, playing out the last minutes with excellent game management tactics showing that experience is really beginning to shape and define their fine young squad.

Richard Whiting