Well this was the game that saw the end of AFC’s eight match unbeaten run, the first defeat for the new management team, and out of this season’s League Cup competition.

The Ryman Premier League side were quicker and sharper than the hosts, but the Sudbury cause was not helped by having another player sent off, the third game in succession it has happened. The ten men had to play almost sixty minutes against the Essex side looking to impress their newly appointed player-manager.

The AFC side that started showed three changes from the previous game with Louis Johnson in goal for the cup-tied Marcus Garnham, Scott Kemp and Ayrton Coley replacing Jordan Blackwell and Kris Newby.

Early on the visitors showed their pace and Marfo got through but shot into the side netting, before Ferguson fired a shot from the edge of the area striking the post.

Terry Rymer having the difficult task of playing a solo role up front got away but Johnson came out to easily save. Carlos and Marfo combined but the finish by Dumaka was wide. Rymer looked to have got away having been touched by Leader, however the referee failed to play an advantage and stopped the move. The Grays man was booked for his trouble.

Athletic were looking dangerous on the break and Carlos did well after a poor clearance firing the bar goalwards only to see it hit the crossbar and for James Baker to clear.

The visitors were pressing for the majority of the time and Marfo run through on the right and shot that Johnson save with ball coming back to the forward who struck again, this time it was Ben Robinson to the rescue.

Rymer did get a cross in that Lawrence Yiga, head bandaged, due to having ten stitches in the cut he received in the previous game, headed in Grays keepers arms. Another AFC attack saw Coley feed Rymer who got the ball to Scott Kemp before Leader cleared.

Yiga was then booked for a tackle and a few minutes later he was controversially sent off. The AFC man and the visitor’s keeper Johnson clashed and after the ball was cleared and with the referee running away another clash occurred. The man in the middle decided he had seen an action from the Sudbury player that deemed a red card and he was off. Somehow no action was taken against the other player who had been involved in the problem!

Half time; AFC Sudbury 0 Grays Athletic 0

So another forty-five minutes when AFC would have to battle with ten men ensued and they were soon under pressure when Marfo shot and Johnson was forced to save.

Dumaka was booked for a foul on Ollie Berquez as the midfielder tried to clear. Coley and Kemp combined well going down the Sudbury right wing but there was no end product.

Nouble replaced Ferguson for Grays and AFC made two changes with Lee Flynn and Craig Parker taking the place of two of the younger players who were in need of a rest, Josh Kerridge and Tyler Kemp.

On sixty-nine minutes Grays went in front, an attack saw Carlos have a couple of shots blocked before Marfo put the ball away. They did not sit back and Johnson then did well saving with his legs to deny Dumaka.

Nouble was booked for Athletic, before Kris Newby took over from Rymer with fifteen minutes left and the opponents’ player-manager Bentley replaced Carlos. Two minutes later Ryan Henshaw went up for the ball but appeared to be pushed, nothing was given and Dumaka went through and coolly slotted the ball home for Grays second goal.

Another booking for the Essex side came when Siva kicked the ball away before on eighty-nine minutes the third goal came. A free kick on the left side of pitch some twenty-five yards out was taken by Beaney and it curled over everyone and into the far corner of the AFC goal.

One last change saw Morrison-Derbyshire go off and Parry come on as the Essex side ended winners in a game that was a game to far for the Suffolk boys especially without eleven on the pitch.

Att 126

YNOT