AFC Sudbury suffer home defeat against 10 men

AFC Sudbury failed to break down 10-man Bowers & Pitsea as they slipped to a narrow defeat at Kings Marsh this afternoon.

The visitors took the lead in the 14th minute when they caught out their Suffolk hosts with a slick short free-kick routine.

Quinton Monville had too much time and space inside the box to turn and arrow home what proved to be the only goal of the game, from eight yards out.

Bowers were reduced to 10 men in the 28th minute, David Knight being flashed a straight red card for violent contact, after catching home keeper Paul Walker off the ball.

But despite a good deal of possession in the second half, Sudbury were unable to seriously threaten an equaliser.

Sudbury were second best for most of the first half, although they did have an early chance when summer signing Paul Hayes delivered a teasing cross from the left for Jordan Blackwell, who saw his volley sliced wide while at full stretch.

Most of the visitors’ early shots flew several yards over the bar and either into the high netting behind Paul Walker’s goal, or out of the ground altogether.

However, Monville found his range to fire Bowers into the lead on 14 minutes, and they should really have added to their tally before the break.

Midfielder Max Cornhill flashed a header across goal and wide in the 19th minute, while 60 seconds later defender Martyn Stokes headed inches over the bar from a corner, the ball grazing the netting on top of the goal.

Lewis Manor capitalised on a defensive mistake to home in on goal in the 21st minute, but his goalbound shot was deflected wide of goal by keeper Walker.

At the other end, Hayes delivered another of his testing crosses from the left, and Cornhill was very close to heading into his own net as the ball flew a foot wide.

The wind was slightly taken out of Bowers & Pitsea’s sails by the dismissal of Knight on 28 minutes, but Sudbury rarely threatened before half-time, albeit for Baris Alktintop stabbing a good chance wide at the ear post.

Early in the second half, ex-Scunthorpe United stalwart Hayes poked a foot over the bar from close-range.

Phil Kelly stabbed home from close range just after the hour mark, but was standing in an offside position, while Jordan Blackwell aimed a 20-yarder straight at keeper Andrew Milton on 70 minutes.

Teams

AFC SUDBURY: Walker, Altintop, Coakley, Holland, French, Whight, Blackwell, Hunter (sub Dettmar, 76), Hayes (sub Grimwood, 76), Harrison, Kelly. Unused subs: Mckenzie, Mundsy, Mills.