A.F.C. Sudbury welcomed Thamesmead Town to the Mel Group Stadium looking to build upon their 1-0 win in the F.A. Cup at Leiston last weekend. Craig Calver came back into the squad and took a place on the bench.

Sudbury started with some purpose; Dave Wareham’s cross in the opening minute having just too much muscle for the on-rushing Danny Emmanuel. Three minutes later Sam Mott moved from his six-yard area to claim another Dave Wareham through ball with Dubi Ogbonna this time the man on the charge. A scrappy start saw little cohesive play at all, Thamesmead creating a first chance when Lea Dawson fired high over the home goal on the quarter hour. It was a right wing corner from Ashley Probets that saw Thamesmead take the lead. The delivery landed level with the near post where captain Lewis Tozer rose to head home.

On eighteen minutes Sudbury’s David Lorimer had a shot blocked in the Thamesmead penalty area. The loose ball fell to Dubi Ogbonna whose shot on the turn was also charged down and cleared. On twenty-one minutes, Richard Howell’s left wing corner reached Ryan Henshaw whose header into the ground was tipped over the crossbar by Sam Mott. Again the game retreated into its shell, but on twenty-nine minutes a free-kick following a foul on Dave Wareham saw Robbie Martin’s delivery fall to Sam Clarke whose drive went just over the crossbar.

On the half-hour David Lorimer combined well with Dave Wareham and the latter’s cross was just too high for Danny Emmanuel. On thirty-three minutes Thamesmead doubled their lead. Theo Fairweather Johnson rifled a twenty-five yard effort in via a deflection off Nathan Clarke which left Danny Gay beaten at full-stretch. Robbie Martin ran strongly through the heart of the Thamesmead defence, but his stabbed ball through to Dubi Ogbonna found the Sudbury number nine marginally offside.

H-T 0-2

Ashley Probets fired a free-kick wide of the left hand post a minute after the re-start. Dubi Ogbonna released Dave Wareham whose cross was grabbed easily by Sam Mott. The Thamesmead ‘keeper was again to the fore, leaping to take a well-flighted Richard Howell free-kick. Sudbury looked much better as the half began. Dave Wareham again combined really well with David Lorimer. Wareham entered the box and delivered a teasing low cross at pace which was hacked clear by the Thamesmead defence.

Just after the hour, the impressive David Lorimer made way for Craig Calver. On sixty-two minutes Sudbury were unfortunate not to get a foothold on the game when Dave Wareham‘s free-kick cannoned off the right hand post and away to safety. At the other end Robbie Martin did well to deny Theo Fairweather Johnson on the charge. Dave Wareham almost lost possession, but stayed strong to send in a stinging drive which Mott saved superbly at the expense of a corner. Richard Howell delivered two fine corners, but there simply wasn’t a Sudbury head near enough to cause the Thamesmead defence a problem.

An Ashley Sloots shot was blocked on seventy-five minutes, but Sudbury were finding the visitors too tough to break down. Robbie Martin’s strong and skilful run on eighty-four minutes saw him tripped by Danny Moore who was booked for his foul. Ryan Henshaw had been booked just prior to this as the game spluttered to the final whistle.

An improved performance from A.F.C. Sudbury in the second half, but the lack of openings illustrate the size of the task faced by Chris Tracey as he aims to get his side up the league table. Sudbury face a quick return to Leiston on Tuesday evening eager to repeat their F.A. Cup victory of a week ago and to kick-start their season.

F-T 0-2

Richard Whiting