A.F.C.Sudbury welcomed Bowers & Pitsea to the Wardale Williams Stadium on a perfect autumn’s afternoon for a First Qualifying Round tie in the Buildbase F.A. Trophy.

A.F.C. Sudbury kicked off the match and were straight on to the front foot with Sam Bantick firing a shot at Bowers & Pitsea ‘keeper Lewis Greene from the left edge of the penalty area. Greene was tested again when Bantick was found by a neat pass by Jack Wilkinson following Ryan Henshaw’s sweeping pass from deep on the right wing.

The visitor’s goal-keeper pulled off a fine block to deny the Sudbury number seven and the ball was cleared. Greene then denied the forward-foraging Henshaw from a header as the home side pressed hard. Ben Sartain responded for Bowers & Pitsea with a run to the edge of the home penalty area, drilling his shot well wide of Marcus Garnham’s home goal.

Sam Bantick finally unlocked the visitor’s defence when his pacy, incisive run was ended only by his being brought down in the penalty area. Sam Bantick placed the ball on the spot himself, sending Greene the wrong way as the ball flew into the right of the goal.

Scott Pethers sent a response well wide of the home goal on eighteen minutes, but the visitors, despite some good possession, were finding the Sudbury back line well-drilled and hard to beat. A laid off ball into James Stevens drew a fine low save from Marcus Garnham before Rob Eagle’s fine progress was stopped by a fine blocking tackle by the visitor’s defence at the other end.

Greene was again on hand to deny Sam Clarke’s well directed header before Jake Gordon released James Thomas who was denied by a superb blocking save by Marcus Garnham. A right wing Bowers & Pitsea corner was back-headed by Callum Leahy and Jake Gordon’s further touch saw Garnham called upon again to make the save. James Thomas threatened to break away for the spirited visitors, but Tyler French timed a great challenge to see the ball into touch.

A well-worked free-kick on thirty-four minutes saw Jack Newman and Jack Wilkinson over the ball with the latter delivering well towards the far-post. James Baker rose well to head dangerously back across the area and the ball was smuggled behind for a home corner. Baker then rose to head Bantick’s corner narrowly over the crossbar.

James Stevens broke forward, but Ryan Henshaw’s tackle halted any developing danger as Sudbury continued to stay solid at the back. Warner found Thomas for Bowers & Pitsea, and his run along the left saw him deliver a fine cross at pace which attacker and defender alike could not get near. On he stroke of half-time Sam Bantick's whipped cross was turned home by Liam Wales to double the A.F.C. Sudbury advantage.

Half Time;- AFC Sudbury 2 Bowers and Pitsea 0

Dylan Williams was fouled close to half way by Ben Sartain and Sudbury’s free-kick was easily cleared. Sartain then broke for the visitors, latching onto a floated pass from Warner, but the move was flagged being well offside.

Sudbury effectively finished the tie off when Rob Eagle and Jack Wilkinson combined well on the left wing and when the ball reached the excellent Sam Bantick from a Liam Wales back-heeled pass, he neatly passed the ball into the net with Greene rooted to the spot.

Bowers & Pitsea almost found an immediate response when Warner’s stinging drive was brilliantly turned away by the fingertips of Marcus Garnham in the home goal. Sudbury’s fourth goal came just after the hour and what a strike it was. The story begins in the home penalty area with Bradley Warner robbed by Eagle. As the home side broke, Rob Eagle received the ball just outside the penalty area on the left. He picked his spot and sent a wonderful serving shot into the top right hand corner of the goal.

Jack Newman immediately made way with Craig Parker taking his place. A lovely flowing move saw Wilkinson find Eagle whose cross was almost met by a leaping Sam Bantick who was continuing to cause the visitor’s defence massive problems. Gordon briefly threatened, only for Sudbury skipper Sam Clarke to halt any ambition with a trade-mark slide tackle. Craig Parker lobbed wide of Greene’s goal before Leahy sent a speculative effort well wide of Marcus Garnham’s well-protected goal on seventy-three minutes.

Sam Clarke and Sam Bantick went off for Jordan Blackwell and Aidan Austin with just under a quarter of an hour to go. Blackwell’s electric pace saw him wriggle past two defenders before finding Craig Parker who shot just wide under pressure from the visitor’s defence. James Thomas sent a shot over the crossbar after being found by Alfie Hilton, but the visitors appeared to tire and Sudbury’s defence had been magnificently tight throughout the game.

Jordan Blackwell had replaced pace with pace at the exit of Sam Bantick and his great run and cross saw Aiden Williams shoot just wide as the home side continued to threaten. With five minutes left Liam Wales looked to be through, and but for Greene’s excellent block, may well have extended the lead further.

There was time for Greene to save from Craig Parker and for the Sudbury striker to curl another fine effort just wide of the right hand post as the home side reached the final whistle four goals to the good against a well-drilled and skilful Bowers & Pitsea who proved difficult opposition throughout the whole game.

Att 196

Richard Whiting