A.F.C. Sudbury welcomed Leiston to the MEL Group Stadium, a side with a host of ex-A.F.C. Sudbury players in their ranks. For Sudbury, Luke Ingram came in from Bury Town to don the number eight shirt, with Ashley Sloots preferred to Jemel Fox in the number three position.

Leiston kicked off the game on a bright, sunny and calm afternoon, just about perfect conditions for football. Luke Ingram made an impression immediately, his run through the centre ending with his laying off the ball in the Leiston penalty area, but there was no Sudbury player on hand to cause alarm.

Leiston took the lead on six minutes. From their first corner of the match, Gareth Heath delivered from the left with the ball defeating both attack and defence alike and finishing in the net. On fourteen minutes Luke Ingram played a one-two with Danny Emmanuel and his cross was cleared ahead of the leaping James Baker. Two minutes later and Danny Emmanuel found enough space to fire a shot straight at Leiston ‘keeper Louis Johnson which he dealt with comfortably. Sudbury continued to press with Michael Shinn’s left wing corner being headed just over the crossbar by Nathan Clarke. Nathan Stone then fell in the Sudbury penalty area under the shepherding of Adam Dalby, but any thoughts of a penalty kick were wide of the mark.

James Baker Rises High

Danny Emmanuel wriggled free of the attentions of the Leiston defence and his cross was headed just wide of the left hand post by Richard Howell in a spirited home move on twenty-three minutes. Sudbury finally got their just-reward when awarded a free-kick on thirty-one minutes for a foul on Luke Ingram. Michael Shinn’s free-kick was glanced home off the head of the leaping James Baker.

Parity lasted just four minutes before Leiston regained the lead. Patrick Brothers was fouled twenty yards from goal. With Gareth Heath lining up for the kick it seemed as if the dead-ball specialist would strike the ball, but Stuart Boardley hit a fine effort into the net which gave Danny Gay no chance in the home goal. Four minutes from the break, a dipping cross from Robbie Martin was tipped over the crossbar by a back-pedalling Lois Johnson and from Michael Shinn’s corner Richard Howell picked up the loose ball, cut inside and sent a shot wide of the right hand post. Just before the break, Leiston went 3-1 up. Rhys Henry latched onto a loose ball and lashed home a fine goal from over twenty yards. This was hard on a Sudbury side whose passing and endeavour deserved more and left them with a huge task ahead in the second half.

H-T 1-3

Sudbury began the half brightly and won an early corner. Michael Shinn’s delivery was easily cleared. On fifty-four minutes Rhys Henry almost put the game beyond doubt when only a boot’s length separated him from connecting at the far post with a deep cross from the right wing. Danny Emmanuel laid off into the path of Luke Ingram whose effort was wide of the right hand post. On sixty-five minutes a scramble in the visitors’ penalty area saw the ball finally hacked clear as Sudbury began to exert real pressure on the Leiston goal.

Luke Ingram made way for Rhys Darg with twenty minutes left on the clock after a solid debut. On seventy-three minutes James Baker saw his header rebound off the crossbar before Rhys Darg had his headed effort brilliantly tipped over the bar by Johnson a minute later. At the other end, Gareth Heath had two speculative efforts which he fired straight at Danny Gay, but it was largely Sudbury who were controlling possession. Richard Howell made way for Ryan Henshaw with five minutes to go as manager Chris Tracey played his final hand.

Rhys Darg shot wide of goal when well placed on eighty-seven minutes and Ryan Henshaw sliced a shot horribly wide from just outside the penalty area as the game entered injury-time. Two minutes into the four minutes added on, Adam Dalby’s cross fell for James Baker to stab home and give A.F.C. Sudbury some measure of hope.

Sudbury had little time to create any last chance and the final whistle sounded to confirm their second defeat to Leiston inside four days. The result was a little harsh on the home side whose passing and endeavour across the park was superior to their visitors, but their luck at the back and finishing in attack were sadly not.

Richard Whiting