VCD Athletic’s title and promotion aspirations remain alive despite losing 2-1 at home to AFC Sudbury on Saturday afternoon.
WithamTown’s own loss leaves VCD still only one point behind the league leaders with two games left to play.
Despite the position VCD find themselves in despondent manager Tony Russell could not hide his disappointment and admitted he is now preparing for the play-offs, believing title challengers Witham have the easier two games remaining.
After a quiet opening ten minutes with neither sides ‘keeper tested, AFC Sudbury took the lead on twelve minutes. The visitors cleared an in-swinging corner on their left hand side to James Akintunde on the edge of his own penalty area.
Running unchallenged, the speedy striker made it within striking range of goal unleashing a wonderful strike into the top right hand corner of the net from 25yds out with Nick Blue helpless to stop it.
VCD were stunned again moments later on 16mins – A ball played behind VCD’s back line was chased down by Akintunde. Charging out his area to intercept it, Blue failed to make contact, leaving the striker to play the ball into the unguarded goal.
VCD hit the post after 25mins when Lea Dawson’s lofted ball towards goal evaded both ‘keeper Alex Archer and VCD’s Michael Power. Unfortunately for the home side the ball hit the foot of the post with the visitors cleared the danger.
Moments later VCD’s Sherwin Stanley had two decent chances to get his side back in the game. Finding space on the right edge of the penalty area he shot low across goal but a deflection took it narrowly wide. From the resulting corner the No’11 then blazed a half volley over from close range.
VCD had the woodwork to thank moments before half time – Ryan Horne striking the crossbar from 8yds out after good work by Akintunde who dispossessed Dawson inside his own side’s penalty area. The ball was scrambled clear but only to the edge of the penalty area to Payton Swatman who struck well but straight at Blue.
VCD came out in the second half applying pressure to their opponents, giving them little time on the ball and at times were camped in the visitors half unfortunately unable to break down Sudbury’s resilient defence and create clear cut chances on goal to test ‘keeper Archer.
The home side’s pressure told just before the hour mark as they clawed their way back into the game – James Duckworth curling a right footed shot inside Archer’s top left hand corner from 25yds out. Duckworth had initially taken the ball down well on the left touchline and ran unchallenged towards the centre of goal.
VCD continued to apply pressure to their tiring opponents who were playing their fourth game in seven days, still lacking in the creativity needed to break down their opponents back line. In turn, VCD were beginning to leave spaces at the back which the pacy Akintunde and Ryan Horne were unable to capitalise upon.
With ten minutes remaining VCD’s Karl Dent could only see his low scuffed shot run wide of Archer’s left hand post after good work by Duckworth and with five minutes to go VCD’s Stanley could only head a Duckworth corner wide from close range, brushing the side netting.
In a last gasp effort to force an equaliser Stanley got to the by-line, beating Archer to the ball, but was unable to get his foot round it and square it to his team mates – Sudbury cleared the ball and the referee brought an end to proceedings delighting the away following to the sound of their drum and air raid siren.
VCD Athletic: Blue, Williams, Craig (Carpenter, 23), Reeves, Payne ©, Thurgood (Nesbitt, 77), Dawson, Dent, Power (Brayley, 58), Duckworth, Stanley
Subs Not Used: Gent, Manners
Goal: Duckworth 57
AFC Sudbury: Archer, T. Kemp, Cawley, Shinn ©, Mitchell, Henshaw, Swatman (Daniels, 61), S. Kemp (Crisell, 90), Akintunde, Blackwell, Horne
Goal: Akintunde 12, 16
Subs Not Used: Wilkinson, Thompson
Referee: Mr Dave Bushell
Assistants: Mr Andreas Anastasiou, Mr Peter Nagy
Att; 135