AFC went into this game with Nathan Clarke back at the club and playing in central defence alongside an experienced trialist in Stuart Wardley. Chris Sullivan and Jemel Fox were both back in the squad after missing Saturday’s game.

Playing against AFC was goalkeeper Fred Howe who had joined ‘The Seasiders’ earlier in the day on a season long loan. Also in the home team’s squad were three other ex-AFC players, Matt Ryland, Tom Agricole and Roger Burton.

One of the assistant refrees for the game was an ex-Sudbury Wanderers player in Sid Kilbourne, who is progressing up the refereeing ladder.

The visitors should have gone ahead after only three minutes, James Baker fed Michael Shinn whose cross was met by Sam Clarke’s head only three yards, he somehow put it wide of the goal. With ten minutes gone Danny Swain dithered on the ball and allowed it to be crossed along the face of the AFC goal, fortunately Nathan Clarke was alert and cleared by conceding a corner.

With a quarter of an hour gone Shinn put in a free kick that Howe dropped but the ball was cleared by a defender. Five minutes later one of a series of free kicks was headed over by Baker as AFC pressed. Felixstowe had another chance when Gay hesitated in coming out for a Cole cross but Taylor headed wide.

The rest of the half saw both sides continue to try and play neat football but goal-scoring chances were few and far between.

Half time: Felixstowe & Walton United 0 AFC Sudbury 0

AFC made a change after the interval with Danny Emmanuel taking over from Richard Howell who had a slight groin strain, and only four minutes later Sullivan had to be taken off with an injury and Ryan Henshaw came on.

Trialist Stuart Wardley

Felixstowe’s goal was breached on fifty minutes; Emmanuel chased a through ball and earned a corner on the left. Shinn as usual took the kick and it went to the far post where the trialist Wardley came into head home.

Just after the hour mark Swain was substituted by Adam Holmes and the home side made a number of changes also.

Howe, enjoying playing against his teamates of last week, pulled off a fine save to deny Sam Clarke whose fierce shot from range was looking goal bound.

With fifteen minutes left Jemel Fox took Dave Wareham’s place and five minutes later showed the sort of tenacity that won him the Supporters of the Year award last season, putting in a fierce tackle after losing the ball.

The final minutes were played out with AFC playing the better football, but their Ridgeons League opponents showed that they should have a good season.