A.F.C. Sudbury welcomed Enfield Town to Kings Marsh for this vital Rymans Division One North tie. Following three points grabbed at the last gasp at Redbridge on Tuesday evening, Sudbury faced third placed Enfield Town looking for three vital points to keep them in the play-off hunt.

As early as the second minute Sudbury had to scurry the ball away when Gareth Heath failed to clear and Brett Girling thumped the ball up-field. On three minutes Sudbury were awarded a free-kick just outside the Enfield Town penalty area. Heath thumped a superb kick goal-ward, but Jerome John in the visitors goal leapt to his right to pull off a stunning flying save. Gareth Heath then flicked deftly into the path of Luke Hammond whose first time shot went wide of the right hand upright.

On the quarter-hour Andy Claydon was hauled down by David Allan and Luke Hammonds free-kick was deflected for a Sudbury corner kick. His delivery was good and almost fell to Ozzy Foster to stab a shot home, but the Enfield Town defence smuggled the ball away. Magona was next to haul Andy Claydon over, this time on half-way, the Enfield man receiving a warning from referee Long. Again David Allan was on hand to put the free-kick behind for a corner as Sudbury strove to break down a well-organised and resolute Enfield Town defence.

With thirty minutes gone Chris Howlett rose to head a Luke Hammond corner high over the crossbar and on 39 minutes Ricci Crace found his way into the Sudbury penalty area and blazed a shot wide of Nathan Munsons goal. It was Crace, who again found space in the Sudbury penalty area, but his shot was well parried by Nathan Munson and there was time for Neil Calver to shoot high over the Enfield Town crossbar as an uninspiring half limped tamely to the break.

HALF TIME 0-0

Sudburys best move of the game thus far came on 57 minutes when Hammonds free-kick on the half-way line reached Andy Claydon, battling away on the left edge of the Enfield Town penalty area. He laid a neat pass into the feet of Shane Wardley whose dangerous cross was taken away from Ozie Foster by a fine defensive header from Allan.

Gareth Heath laid a fine ball wide to Andy Claydon and the tall Sudbury striker tripped in the penalty area before the ball was again cleared up the park. Magona was then shown a yellow card for a lunge at Jack Wignall as the game again struggled to flow. Brett Girling then found Heath with a long ball on 65 minutes and his cross was gathered by Jerome John ahead of the on-rushing Andy Claydon.

Enfield Town should have taken the lead on 66 minutes when, for a third time, Crace found acres of space in the Sudbury penalty area and his shot was somehow deflected by Nathan Munson for a corner. On 70 minutes the visitors took the lead. Velandia released Nyman with a fine exchange of passes and Nymans cross was turned into goal by Crace via the legs of Chris Howlett. It was an incisive moment of flowing football that stood out on an afternoon which was otherwise a litany of mistakes and fouls. Referee Long scarcely let the game flow all afternoon and the match never rose above the mediocre as a result.

Gareth Heath had a chance to restore parity three minutes later following a laid off pass from Andy Claydon, but John was equal to the low shot. With 10 minutes left Sudbury threw on three substitutes with Michael Brothers, Tommy Noble and Pip Boyland replacing Chris Howlett, Luke Hammond and Ozzy Foster.

Brothers was booked within 90 seconds of coming into the action and Jack Wignall joined him as Sudbury looked unable to break out from their own half. After 3 minutes of stoppage time, Sudbury finally broke the shackles when Michael Brothers unlocked the Enfield Town defence for Andy Claydon to stab home a vital equalising goal.

Sudbury salvaged a point with another late show to keep their play-off hopes alive. On Tuesday evening Enfield visit Kings Marsh for yet another vital tie.

Richard Whiting