AFC Sudbury bow out of FA Cup after narrow defeat at Haringey Borough

AFC Sudbury players (red shirts) celebrate taking an early lead at Haringey Borough in the FA Cup this afternoon. Picture: CARL MARSTON (Image: Archant)

AFC Sudbury bowed out of the FA Cup, but not without giving hosts Haringey Borough a scare during this afternoon’s third qualifying round tie, staged at Coles Park in North London.

An own goal by former Colchester United left-back, Michael O’Donoghue, gave the Suffolk visitors a 16th minute lead.

But Chinedu McKenzie equalised before half-time, and the same player diverted home a 57th minute winner for the home side, from close-range.

Sudbury started well and it was no real surprise when they took the lead, in the 16th minute.

Phil Kelly’s fierce angled drive was pushed away by keeper Valery Pajetat, who had to dive to his left to keep out the effort, but the rebound was deflected into his own net by defender O’Donoghue for an own goal.

Kelly spurned an excellent chance to double the lead in the 21st minute. Darryl Coakley delivered several fine crosses from the left flank during the first half, and one of those teasing deliveries was nodded wide at the far post by Kelly, from close-in.

Haringey did not seriously threaten until the half-hour mark, when centre forward Karl Akinwande had a long-range deflected wide off one of his own team-mates.

Only the woodwork denied Haringey an equaliser in the 38th minute. Georgios Aresti’s shot cannoned back off the upright, and although McKenzie steered home the rebound, he was standing in an offside position.

At the other end, Kelly beat Jajetat in an aerial battle, and although the home keeper was grounded in no man’s land, the Sudbury No. 9 could not convert the loose ball with a defender standing in his way.

And Haringey bagged an equaliser in the 39th minute, McKenzie stabbing the ball over the line after Sudbury had failed to deal with a corner.

The Bostik Premier outfit were on top for the rest of the first period, and a 25-yarder from Akinwande whistled only a foot of target.

Into the second half and Joel Nouble beat several players inside the Sudbury box, only to balloon his shot over the top with keeper Paul Walker untroubled.

But Walker was beaten in the 57th minute. Again Sudbury could not clear their lines, and Scott Mitchell, initially with his back to goal, was able to turn and fire in a shot which was diverted home by team-mate McKenzie for his second goal of the afternoon.

The North Londoners went in search of a killer third and Jorge Djassi-Sambu sliced a shot horribly wide from close range in the 68th minute, although just two minutes later and Ben Hunter squandered a chance to equalise by smashing a shot over the top from just eight yards out.

The visitors pressed forward later in the match, and Billy Holland was not far adrift with a low drive struck from distance on 82 minutes. Holland also missed a good chance in the last minute of normal time.

Squads

HARINGEY BOROUGH: Pajetat, Ademiluyi, O’Donoghue, Djassi-Sambu, Rowe, Mitchell, McKenzie, Aresti, Akinwande (sub Barker, 87), Staunton, Nouble. Unused subs: Setirekli, Loizou, Andic, Sanha, Carvalho, Byfield

AFC SUDBURY:Walker, Sayer, Coakley, Holland, French, Wright, Blackwell (sub Grimwood, 71), Dettmar (sub Hayes, 80), Kelly, Hunter, Harris. Unused subs: McKenzie, Skobich, Harrison, Whiteman.

Attendance: 209