On the 1^st October, a hot autumn afternoon,  a young AFC side visited the seaside to play FC Clacton and found their hard pitch and style  difficult to cope with at first and as at Hadleigh fell behind early on before they had got themselves together.

In the third minute a defensive slip by Holmes under pressure from Ellis, the Clacton No 9, allowed the forward time to control the ball and shoot passed the exposed Norton in the Sudbury goal. Here we go again was the thought but AFC  picked themselves up and began to move the ball around well, finding their players. Clacton however proved the more dangerous in front of goal with Matt Norton having to make good stops and saves to deny the hungry ‘Seasiders’.

The powerful physical style of Artis was proving a handful to cope with – he got in two good shots at goal in the first ten minutes. By the twenty minute point Jake Jackson had got his measure and Norton was making good saves from him, Ellis and Raya.  While at the other end Moore and Kent were getting into dangerous positions but the Clacton defence was big and solid.

Hinds, Brown Thurgood and Ifield were competing well for AFC and putting in good ball to the forwards  and this pressure paid off on the half hour when Adam Holmes‘ low shot beat Oakes in the home goal to equalise.

Three minutes later Brown picked up a ball on the edge of the area but there was no-one on the end of his deep cross. At the back Jackson, Cullivan, Taylor and Holmes had now got the measure of the Clacton forwards. A few minutes before the half time whistle AFC could have taken the lead when Hinds won a good ball and Brown’s pass found Kent but he was well marshalled by the defence.

Half Time:     FC Clacton Res 1  – 1 AFC Sudbury Res

Ian Manby was forced to make a substitution at half time bringing on Sam Boggis for Johnny Moore who had suffered a nasty lower leg injury in the last fifteen minutes of the first half.  The Clacton man Artis had slid in from behind and his trailing leg had caught the young striker badly, he required quite a bit of treatment from physio Kim Sayers, this continued off the pitch during the second half.

Sudbury were showing more purpose now and with ten minutes into the second half Boggis got free and in for a chance to score but this was squandered as the defence drove him wide. A couple of minutes later Ifield set up Kent but he was unable to control the ball.

In the 63^rd minute Daniel Smith came on for  Luke Hinds and it was this player who released Thurgood on a run down the left  but his shot was well saved; next there was a nice flowing move involving Jackson, Smith, Ifield,Boggis and Kent  but again the defence remained resolute.

On 71 minutes Sudbury won a corner and from the attacking pressure the ball came out to  Stepney Thurgood who powered home a great shot for his first goal for AFC Sudbury Reserves – lovely way to open your account.

Unfortunately there was a spot of bother a little later when a tussle began involving a number of players following a challenge leading to some pushing and shoving during which Sam Cullivan went over and although he played on it was later found  that he had broken his wrists as he fell. What bad luck on the young player!

This set back Sudbury a lot as Clacton stroved for an equaliser and Norton had to saved at the feet of the advancing Ellis, he then had to make another vital save when from the same player when curving free kick was well held to down his left

Things were becoming a little frantic but the visitors weathered the storm and replied with good attempts from Smith, Ifield and Boggis.  With five minutes remaining  FC Clacton poured forward down the right unchallenged and there was substitute Jason Tilbury to strike home a ball for to equalise.

Sudbury might have snatched it in the last few minutes when Jake Jackson, having a good all round game, set off on a weaving run beating three players but was denied by a solid mass defence.

A good result from a hard bruising game.

The Wizard Of Oz