Today saw new opponents  at The MEL Group Stadium in the shape of newly promoted Brightlingsea Regent, who showed themselves to be a very useful outfit – sitting second in the table. They were a typical Border League side in their style big, powerful and direct and they caught  a patched up AFC (due to a long injury list) napping early on.

In the second minute massive full Back Kieron Baker  powered forward, was not picked up and shot home from thirty-five yards. Sudbury were showing no shape or organisation with the visitors quicker to the ball.

Things got worse on the quarter of an hour as Dale Brown picked up a long ball and ran through splitting the defence too shoot hard and low past the stranded Norton, who did not look completely fit.

Sudbury began to battle back and got a goal three minutes later when Lee Ifield picked up a ball and his accurate pass released the maundering Bradley Hughes who stormed forward through the visiting defence and shot home from an angle into the bottom right hand  corner of the net. The fight back?

On twenty-two minutes Ifield again began the attack with a cross to the pacey Ryan Kent who put in a telling ball in from the by-line but it eluded the incoming Bowmer and was well taken by Burnett the Brightlingsea keeper.

The powerful Hughes was posing a threat to the Essex side’s goal with his runs and shooting  going close on a couple of times but on thirty-five minutes it was Brightlingsea who scored again with another from the dangerous Baker who scored with another hard long range shot. Sudbury were not learning from their mistakes.

Half Time: AFC Sudbury Res 1 Brightlingsea Regent Reserves 3

At half time Sudbury had to make a substitution with the injured Hughes, who had been subjected to  a hard tackle from behind, coming off to be replaced by Johnny Moore. Although the threat diminished AFC were playing better football now Brightlingsea were still posing a great threat  as shown with a fast attack from Johnston – Pooley down the right but Matthew Norton was equal to the shot with a good low take. He then released a long kick up field found Ryan Kent who cut in and sent a powerful shot into the net. Were Sudbury going to salvage something from this match, although they being second best?

Regent’s midfield dynamo, Dean Sillett, was instigating attacks while Sudbury were looking for breaks.

In the seventy-second minute Brightlingsea added a fourth from the impressive Daniel Boley whose good far post header, following a fast break and cross from the elusive Daniel Hill, gave Norton little chance.

On seventy minutes Stepney Thurgood replaced Aaron Bowmer with Kent going upfront. Regent seemed to be cutting through the midfield and the defence at will with shots coming in from Hill, Sillett, Brown, and Boley., with Matt Norton having to make good saves.

Against the run of play AFC Reserves pulled a goal back when Burnett fumbled the ball and Jonathan Moore was on hand to pick up the lose ball to poke it home  A lifeline?  No  – unfortunately as the attacks still came from the visitors with Hill prominent and late in the game he cut through once again turned the defensive cover and his acute angled shot beat Norton with the ball going into the bottom left hand  corner of the goal despite the gallant effort of Richard Bell to clear off the line.

It was a good sporting decision as the goal was given by AFC linesman Dan Freeman with the Referee in a position where it would have been difficult for him to decide goal or not.  Praise from The Referee to Dan.

AFC were unlucky not to get back to 4-5 in the third minute of stoppage time when Ifield turned the full back and shot but unfortunately the ball hit the right angle but befitting the match it was Brightlinsea who had the final shot but Brown’s ball in was well held by Norton.

The Wizard Of Oz