A bumper Bank Holiday crowd of 359 saw this derby end goalless. That is just what it looked like after a first half in which defences dominated and neither keeper was seriously tested.

But it was a different story after the break with plenty of goalmouth action at both ends.

Within the first five minutes of the restart Andrew Plummer in the Needham goal twice denied Ben Thompson as Sudbury started the second half in dominant style.

Needham looked dangerous on the break and on the hour Jamie Guy should have done better but shot wide with the goal at his mercy.

Some desperate Sudbury defending cut out several dangerous Needham attacks before the home keeper was called into action to keep out a low shot from defender Oliver Brown who had joined the visitors attack. At the other end substitute James Baker failed to hit the target when he broke away under pressure.

With time running out Needham created another good chance but Ian Westlake missed the target when he should have tested the home keeper.

Deep into stoppage time Sudbury were reduced to ten men when skipper Sam Clarke was yellow carded for the second time.

Seconds before the final whistle there was a dropped ball after an injury in the Sudbury box. But Needham were unable take advantage as the final whistle came almost instantly to leave the sides with a point each which was just about a fair result from a game which burst into life in the second half.

AFC Sudbury: Archer, N’Cho, Lewis, Shinn, Mitchell, Henshaw, Brothers, Clarke, Thompson (Baker 73,) Speller (Swatman 46), Cowley (Harrop 78) Unused subs: Fox and Daniels.

Needham Market: Plummer, Brown, Morphew, Driver, Townrow, Nunn, Ingram, Fenn, Guy, Westlake, Wareham (Leabon 67). Unused subs: Cripps, Ryan, Garrard and Munson (gk).