AFC Sudbury traveled to Felixstowe and Walton United for the first round of the Velocity Trophy. With an FA Cup tie at the weekend the manager took the opportunity to put our youth to the test and they did not let him down. With numerous first team debuts and (I think) only one of the starting eleven not a teenager (but only 20) this was possibly the youngest first team squad on record for the club.
The first half was a very fast paced half. The young AFC side playing very nice football, however it was the home team who had the ball in the next, twice in fact, but both ruled to be offside. Chances for Sudbury came for Charlie Gilbert, Mekhi McKenzie and Oli Gravitt, but none really troubled the keeper.
Halt time 0-0
The second half however was all AFC, chance and chance created by a skillful team who was able to both pass the ball though the defense and float a perfect ball over them. Chances fell again for Gravitt, McKenzie and Gilbert, along with other players, a few good saves and a couple of guilty misses saw the match end 0-0. This was after the home team did get reduced to 10 men after a couple of quick yellow card for the No.11.
Penalties followed immediately after the full time whistle and unfortunately AFC fell out of the trophy losing 4-3.
All from AFC Sudbury, on and off the pitch, left with their heads held high as everyone had just witnessed what the future can hold......