AFC Sudbury boss, Jamie Godbold, has admitted that the last three months have been “tough” for his relegation-haunted side.

East Anglian Daily Times: Action from this afternoon's Ryman Premier clash between Tonbridge Angels and AFC Sudbury (red shirts)Action from this afternoon's Ryman Premier clash between Tonbridge Angels and AFC Sudbury (red shirts) (Image: Archant)

Goldbold was satisfied with his side’s performance, in this afternoon’s narrow 1-0 defeat at Tonbridge Angels, who secured victory via Nathan Elder’s 78th minute header.

But the Suffolk side are now six points adrift of safety, and with an inferior goal difference, going into their last two fixtures of the season, so relegation to the Ryman North is all but sealed after just one year at this level.

“We were in the game for quite a while, and I felt if we isolated the game and talked about it as it was, then I thought it was decent performance against a team who are going for the play-offs,” explained Godbold.

“Tonbridge have lots of experience and lots of quality, and are physically strong, and looked like they could score from anywhere.

“I felt we played well against them, and worked harder than them, but I suppose it all boiled to the story of our last two months really, in that we never took the chances that came our way in the first half.

“I thought we were the better team in the first half, and we continued to show a lot of endeavour in the second half, but to concede from a set piece was disappointing, having worked so hard for the whole game,

“But it’s not today or the last two games that have got us in this position – it’s what happened in the previous two months, in February and March, and even January.

“We had a real tough time in those three months, and that has given us a complete lack of confidence.

“We have fought hard to try and turn that around, but perhaps it’s come just a little bit too late.

“We’ll just see what happens in our last two games.

”All we can do is go into the game on Monday (at home to Needham Market) and hope to win it, that’s all we can do.

“We had a few good results in our tough period, but we have never managed to back them up, so we have never really got any momentum going.

“Overall, it’s just been hard, and hard for the lads, the majority of whom won the league (Ryman North) last year.

”Most of the players in the dressing room have never really experienced being in a relegation dogfight, or having to turn a bad set of results around.

“That in itself is something new that we are having to learn, and to deal with,” added Godbold.