AFC Sudbury Preview (9-4-11)

This weekend we make our second trip to Suffolk inside a week, when we take on AFC Sudbury. When we played Sudbury earlier in the season, we won 3-2, with Ian Luck scoring a hat-trick, including a last-gasp free-kick winner.

Since that match, Sudbury have only lost three matches, and are in the middle of a five match unbeaten run, winning twice and drawing three times. The games they have drawn have been against slightly lesser opposition in Tilbury, Cheshunt and Potters Bar which will no doubt give Forest some hope of coming away with at least a point. Sudbury currently sit sixth in the table, knowing a win against us could push them as high as fourth.

After the great wins against Redbridge and Ware, it was disappointing to go down so heavily against Needham Market on Tuesday evening, but given that they are a side chasing the league title, it was always going to be hard.

Sudbury will be without Jack Wignall who is suspended, while Forest should be at full strength.

With the exception of the afore mentioned 3-2 victory, we have never beaten Sudbury. On the first day of the 2006-7 season, they visited us at Wadham Lodge, for their first ever Ryman League match. To the sounds of their supporters singing the Eastenders theme tune for much of the game, Sudbury gained a 2-1 victory. Laide Adeyemi scored our goal, bringing us back from a goal down, but a late penalty secured the points for Sudbury, who went on to lose on penalties in the play-off final against Harlow Town. Since then, we have drawn once with Sudbury, on the 13th of Janurary 2007, when Danny Gabriel scored. Our record in seven matches reads: Won 1, Drawn 1, Lost 5. Hopefully come 5 PM on Saturday, the record will make for nicer reading.

Live updates will be on the front page of the website, on the club’s Twitter feed, and the club’s Facebook page.

The Beer Hunter’s Guide to AFC Sudbury:
Sudbury, home of Mauldon’s fine ales and an interesting and historic market town. If you’re making a day of it, pick up the Town Trail brochure from the tourist office – and ask to see the mummified severed head if you drop into the parish church. You might need a stiff drink after that – good pubs include the no-frills Royal Oak in King Street, the Waggon & Horses in Church Walk (guest ales and food) and the Black Boy in Market Hill. Others worth checking include the Brewery Tap, the Horse & Groom and the Silkworm in East Street.

Ian Luck’s winning goal.