On a sloping pitch AFC attacked down it but it was James Baker who had to do the first defending of the day before the visitors got into their stride. Craig Parker set Jordan Blackwell away and his shot was saved by Forster in the home goal at the expense of a corner.

Davis the small lively midfield man for the home side got in a shot that went wide. He was to prove a handful for the majority of the tie.

Ryan Henshaw put a delightful diagonal ball from left to right to find Sam Bantick, he cut side but shot wide. Barton countered and Bailey from a Reynolds’s pass headed wide.

Luke Callander was next involved for AFC as he put the ball inside to Blackwell in the penalty area he earned a corner for his troubles from which Baker headed over.

The breakthrough came on fifteen minutes, a free kick on the right was kept in play and then Ben Robinson crossed and at the far post Ryan Henshaw (pictured) rose to head home.

Bantick was seeing a lot of the ball but could not produce a telling shot. Barton’s Blackett got the ball to Vincent but Ross Bailey managed to clear the danger. Vincent then headed the ball on but a weak shot by Bailey was sawed by Ollie Bowles in the AFC goal.

The AFC defence then got themselves in a mess failing to clear the ball when not under too much pressure. A corner resulted from which Bowles made a great save diving to his right hand side to give away another corner. On twenty-eight minutes the tie was level as from a corner the ball eluded Bowles and at the back post Blackett headed in.

This gave the Bedfordshire side momentum and Bowles was forced to save low down from Davis. At the other end Henshaw headed over a Bantick free kick, but the action was back in the AFC defensive third as Dias’ long-range shot caused Bowles to be alert to save.

Barton were on the ascendency Davis firing over and Bailey should have done better with seven minutes of the half left.

Callander getting little change out of the home central defenders got the ball to Bantick who in turn fed Parker but the AFC midfield man miss hit his shot.

The half ended with the home side looking sharper after AFC had bossed the first fifteen minutes or so.

Half time; - Barton Rovers I AFC Sudbury 1

IT was AFC who had the first chance of the second period as Blackwell latched onto a Bailey pass and sent a fierce shot on to run, Forster managed to get his body behind the effort.

Robbie Martin was adjudged to have committed a foul with the assistant referee flagging for it. It seems that words were spoken and the AFC was cautioned for his troubles. From the free kick Reynolds headed on and Plowright put it over the AFC crossbar.

Clarke put Blackwell away on the right earning a corner from which a Callander header was tipped over for another and that resulted in Forster saving low down from a shot.

Davis for Barton was away and Baker came out to try and stop his advance, his tackle missed and play continued with Bailey heading the cross over. The referee returned and booked Baker.

Ross Bailey went off and Wales came on but it was Barton who still looked dangerous, Vincent volleying over from a corner. Callander did break forward and was clear but Bishop got back to deny him.

Blackwell was fouled going forward and Bishop booked for it. Canfer was coming on to replace Callander who could not leave the field of play before being cautioned, this for persistent fouling!

Canfer and Bantick combined but the former slipped over in the penalty area, at the other end Robinson got in the way of a Da’Silva to see the ball go flying over the bar for a corner from which Bowles punched the ball away.

With two minutes of normal time left James Axcell took over from Blackwell, who was playing his last game before his three-match suspension starts. Blackett was booked for a foul on Henshaw as the game went into added time.

Neither side could break the deadlock so a replay back at The Wardale Williams Stadium awaits. AFC will have to put in a performance like they did in the first fifteen minutes of the game if they want to progress.

Att 121

YNOT