The AFC Mascots

AFC went into this game on the back of a three match unbeaten streak, and without conceding a goal, they ended it being four games unbeaten and still not having let in a goal in that time.

It was a solitary goal victory scored in the first half and it was enough to climb another place up the table.

Adam Dalby came back in after recovering from a dead-leg taking over from coach Jack Wignall. On the bench was forward Kevin Hawes who returned to the club after being away for some eighteen months.

There was a minute’s silence before the game in memory of Marilyn Fellingham the partner of AFC executive director Keith Morris after she passed away earlier in the week.

The visitors had the first chance but Coley fluffed it with an air-shot, and they were made to pay for it in the tenth minute. A left wing corner floated

Goalscorer Nathan Clarke Was The Sponsors, Smith Eddy And Friends Man Of The Match

to the back post by Michael Shinn was met with some force and very cleanly by the in-rushing Nathan Clarke to head home.

AFC had set themselves up in a 4-4-2 formation showing the sides versatility. A long free kick taken by Danny Gay found James Baker on the right and he earned a corner that came to nothing.

The Goal

A change was enforced upon AFC on twenty-minutes when Rhys Darg had to go off with a hamstring strain and ‘new boy’ Hawes came on to replace him.

Abbey attacked and won a corner that was headed by Coley in Gay’s arms. Midway through the half Robbie Martin went on a mazy run but shot over the bar. Hawes went in hard and was adjudged to have fouled his opponent and was spoken to by the referee.

There was a good passing move involving Shinn, Baker and Martin with the latter shooting low and wide. After a number of offside decisions seemingly going against the AFC defence the assistant on thirty-three minutes raised his flag eventually in the home teams favour.

Danny Gay did well on thirty-three minutes going down bravely at the feet of Bristow who was through on goal. The first booking of the match came when Baker and Friend clashed in from of the home dugout and the referee yellow carded the visiting player.

Half time; AFC Sudbury 1 Waltham Abbey 0

There was a change for AFC with the ill feeling Martin not re-appearing and Danny Emmanuel taking his place

The visitors put together a nice move involving Bristow, Mitchell and Maxwell with the latter putting the ball in the net but it was ruled out, as he was offside. Emmanuel then went on a number of runs towards the Abbey goal raising both the sides and the crowds expectations, there was however no end product for his efforts.

On the hour mark Ryan Henshaw playing in the right back position, was on the edge of the area following a corner, got a shot away but it was well over. Trying to get back into the game Abbey made two changes with Attard and Maxwell leaving the fray and Robbins and Laxton coming on, while Fox took over from birthday boy Dave Wareham.

The visitors were certainly having a better second half breaking quickly but they were rarely troubling Gay in the home goal. Fox got away however and should have done better shooting wide.

Abbey made their last change with defender Webster going off and Daveney coming with fifteen minutes left. They continued to push forward and lost a bit of self-control with Mitchell, Maxwell and Harvey all booked for dissent.

From an AFC corner Abbey broke and Fox got in a hard tackle and was booked.

Kevin Hawes Returned To the Club

Fox should have done better when well placed receiving a great cross from the right from Hawes who had been set up by some nice football from Shinn and Emmanuel.

There was four minutes of added time and in it the visitors were still looking for the equaliser, Gay punched clear from Bristow and then save a shot.  In the final minute he had to be alive to get down Cawley put in Laxton and the Sudbury keeper got down to earn his side all three points.

It was a game that in recent times AFC would have either have drawn or even lost, but they now seem to be stronger and more resilient.