On a good grassy pitch it was AFC Sudbury who had the first shot of the game – a close in attempt by  Lee Ifield in the third minute that was saved by Chaplin in the Witham goal. Two minutes later there was an injury to Witham’s Jedd Hasraston who badly injured his shoulder when his captain James Brady caught him from behind in a challenge with Jacob Brown – this required a Paramedic to be called  and the game was held up for over 40 minutes.

From the restart the game was a little scrappy as both sides tried to settle with Witham more attack minded with Chisholm twice, Sharp, Brown and Adams having to make tackles. AFC Sudbury’s first real scoring chance came from Brown in the eighteenth minute when Kent turned and crossed to him but his shot was over the bar.

Witham could have taken the lead two minutes later when a defensive slip  nearly let in Okuneye who shot wide with only Twinn to beat. In the twenty-third minute it was AFC who took the lead, Brady took out Lee Sharp and from the free kick Lee Ifield slotted home close in.

Just before the half hour Sudbury doubled their lead with a superb corner on the left from Steve Chisholm that went into the top right hand corner of the net with a little assistance from the home keeper who was off his line. The visitors had another ‘let off’ a couple of minutes later when James Brady was given space to get in a powerful shot  but the ball flew high over Twinn’s bar.

There followed two good chances for Sudbury with Hunt flashing a header wide from a good Kent cross and Jacob Brown could not quite get to another good ball, when in a good position, from Kent after he had been fed by Holmes.  Witham were however still striving hard to get one back before the half time whistle but Hammond and Adams stood solid despite the threat from the lively Jake Gilder and Chisholm had to head clear as again Gilder again tried to get onto a ball into the area. AFC could have added to their score just before the end of the first half had Johnny Moore’s culing shot dipped a touch.

Half Time:     Witham Town Res 0  – 2 AFC Sudbury Res

Witham made two changes at half time in an attempt to get back into the game and five minutes into the second half Thurgood come on for Moore for AFC. Witham were attacking in numbers but the visiting defence held out despite a few scares.

On the hour Stepney Thurgood made a timely run and fed the advancing Kent but the ball was a touch too far in front of the fast raiding forward. In the seventieth minute Sam Cullivan replaced the injured Ryan Kent and accurate balls and passing became difficult as the wind got up; and in these conditions Witham took their chance and got a goal  back from  the dangerous Gilder.

With ten minutes left Dan Smith came on for Ifield and with five minutes remaining Sudbury put together a good looking move from a Adam Holmes free kick that was well won by Steve Adams but Scott Hunt’s glancing header was cleared.  The game finished with the Sudbury goal under a little pressure but the defence well marshalled by Neil Hammond held out.

The Wizard Of Oz