Football: AFC's Cup run ends at the first hurdle
FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round replay Stamford AFC 2 AFC Sudbury 1
ANY hopes AFC Sudbury had of making an FA Cup run this season ended at the first hurdle when they were beaten in Tuesday's replay at Stamford.
Sudbury boss Nicky Smith made three changes to the team that had drawn on Saturday. Striker James Baker returned while Jemel Fox and Terry Rayner made their first starts of the season in midfield and defence respectively.
Sudbury were hoping for an improved performance from the first meeting but it never really materialised and they only came to life when they were two goals down.
Stamford took the lead after 19 minutes, slightly against the run of play, with an own goal.
It was created by Lee Beeson whose speedy right-wing run ended with a cross that was turned into his own net by Rayner.
Buoyed on by this good fortune the home side went on to have the better of the first half.
There were no further goals before the break although Sudbury created a good chance just before the half-time whistle but it was wasted when Dave Wareham chose the wrong option by easily having his shot saved instead of squaring to an unmarked colleague.
Early in the second half Stamford's Tony Battersby was denied by a fine save by keeper Richard Wilmot. But the home pressure paid off and they doubled their lead after 58 minutes when Ricky Miller made a strong left-wing run and his powerful low cross was turned into the net by Callum Reed.
There did not look any way back for Sudbury but they piled on the pressure towards the end and with five minutes remaining they got a goal back when substitute Liam Whittaker did extremely well to retain possession wide right and cross to the far post where Baker headed home what proved to be only a consolation goal.
It was too little too late and the home side held on for their first win of the season to progress to the next round.
AFC Sudbury: Wilmot, Rayner (Whitaker 76), Swain, S Clarke, N Clarke, Wignall, S Wareham, Fox (Webb 63), Baker, Hughes, D Wareham. Unused subs: Adams, J Brown, Driscoll, Snell and Howe (gk).
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Weather for Sudbury
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -1 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 5 mph
Wind direction: North
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Sunny spells
Temperature: -5 C to 1 C
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