2nd March 2024
AFC Sudbury vs Hitchin Town @ King's Marsh Stadium - Sudbury
Southern League Premier Central Division (Step 3)
15:00 KO
£12 entry
Attendance - 374
Half-time score: AFC Sudbury 1-0 Hitchin Town
Goal:
AFC Sudbury: Allen - 43'
Final Score: AFC Sudbury 1-0 Hitchin Town
With the Col U game off, and with Thetford Town not playing, I decided to take the opportunity to go and see AFC Sudbury, the fact it is on a 3G pitch also a contributing factor. AFC Sudbury stormed the Isthmian North last season, but a complete rebuild in the summer has seen them struggle in Step 3, as they sit in the relegation zone. Being 7 points from safety, a win against Hitchin Town today was not just vital, but an excellent chance to close the gap as they themselves are near the bottom in 17th.
Upon arrival, it was a shame to see that printed programmes were not on offer down in Sudbury, although the digital one was free and a decent read. It was a nice, modern set-up with a thriving clubhouse, where I grabbed myself a pint of Aspalls. I tried to buy a memento pin badge but alas they were sold out.
AFC Sudbury play on an artificial pitch, and whilst I am a grass purist, it is days like this where I can certainly see their benefit. Despite the threat of rain, the majority of the game was sunny, and onto the 3G surface AFC Sudbury lined up in yellow and blue, with Hitchin Town in their away purple kits. There was a small rain shower the end of the 1st half, which brought out a nice double rainbow.
KEY MOMENTS
SU = AFC Sudbury
HI = Hitchin Town
7' - HI - Lynch attacks down the left, he cuts the ball into the box, defender Oluwatimilehin intercepts but only gets a small contact on the ball and it falls to Wilkinson who is somewhat surprised by the opportunity and snaps at the ball, blasting it all the way out for a throw-in.
8' - SU - Napa fires off a stinging 25yrd effort from the left, this forces keeper Horlock to parry the ball away, and he was fortunate that there were no Sudbury players coming in from the right.
12' - SU - A swift attack from Sudbury is cut out, but an errant lofted clearance is won back by Sudbury and results in a well struck effort from Dunne from outside of the box, it is arrowing into the bottom left corner, but Horlock gets down well to make the stop.
15' - HI - A long ball is pumped forward, it is one of those 50/50's for the keeper but Bradbrook makes the decision to come out to it, the ball slows up and the resulting mix up sees the ball ping out loose, Wilkinson latches onto it and attempts a 30yrd lob with Bradbrook miles off his line, but Charlie Lewis steps in to make an important block, stopping a near-certain goal if struck on target. Hitchin clear up the deflection and continue to attack and this eventually leads to a spin and strike from Snelus inside the box, forcing a good save from Bradbrook, an eventful minute!
24' - SU - A Sudbury corner is cleared, but it is recycled out to Napa on the left, in space he powers in a dangerous effort, Horlock is again equal to it and parries the ball, but this time it falls to Dickens coming in the from the right, but he is unable to convert.
31' - HI - Georgiou wins the ball and gallops forwards, he releases Lynch who takes the ball into the box, he finds winger Tearle coming in from the right, the shot comes in but it is blocked, flying out for a corner.
37' - SU - Amazing skills from Pinnington down the right, skinning two players, he then drives into the box and from a tight angle he blasts the ball over, shame it wasn't on target, he had done the hard part!
43' - SU - GOAL (1-0) - Sudbury deservedly take the lead, having most of the play in the half. An attack launched by Dunne down the right ends with Allen receiving the ball on the left wing, he drives forwards and curls the ball across keeper Horlock and into the bottom right corner, brilliant finish from the Luton Town loanee!
83' - HI - A tightly fought 2nd half sees brilliant defending from both teams snuffing out attack after attack, the only decent chance falling to Hitchin. A Gleeson corner curves in to the far post, Lynch rises head and shoulders above everyone else, but flashes his headed effort wide.
A huge three-points for AFC Sudbury, but you wouldn't have known as the game was closed out in a calm, professional and composed manner. The win sees AFC Sudbury now only 4-points from safety, giving the team plenty to play for. Based on todays performance, I think they can certainly give it a good go, they did not look like a relegation troubled side. I was particularly impressed by Romario Dunne today, he gave 110%, and Pinnington was also a joy to watch once he got going down the wing. Hitchin Town carved out some decent chances in the 1st half, but struggled to chase the game, firing out a lot of errant long balls as they looked to attack. They had a good bunch of fans however, complete with inflatable birds! I will watch AFC Sudbury's fixtures keenly, I hope they can complete the great escape, I always like seeing the East Anglian teams doing well at the higher levels, best of luck to them.
Line-Ups:
AFC SUDBURY: James Bradbrook, Olumide Oluwatimilehin, Charlie Lewis, Tom Dickens, Jake Turner (C), Ben Hunter, Malachi Napa, Callum Page, Romario Dunne, Josh Allen, Jacob Pinnington. SUBS: Ollie Brown, Joe Tarpey, James Philp, Afolabi Soyemi-Ololade, Philip Bampoe.
HITCHIN TOWN: Charlie Horlock (C), Kye Tearle, Layne Eadie, Toby Syme, Ciaren Jones, Jack Bateson, Stan Georgiou, Stephen Gleeson, Oliver Lynch, Jack Snelus, Finley Wilkinson. SUBS: Bradley Bell, Isaac Galliford, Alex Kpakpe, John Freeman, Kavan Cotter.
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