| Date | Start Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 21/01/2012 | 2:15 PM | Home |
Match Result
| Goals For | Goals Against |
|---|---|
| 3 | 0 |
Following last weeks victory against Norwich Dragons Sudbury entertained second placed Harleston Magpies at Cornard looking to maintain their unbeaten home record and close the gap on their opponents to 1 point. The red and whites were looking to avenge a 3 goal defeat and hoped to record their fifth consecutive victory in the league and welcomed back Brad Bosman into the side.
The home side began at high tempo and quickly penned the Magpies back into their own half and it soon became apparent that the visitors were not at full strength and Sudbury dominated the first half with good ball pace around the pitch but were guilty of being too direct in the opening 5 minutes.
Since tasting defeat at Rutland the Sudbury defence has become adept at snuffing out opposition attacks as the work rate from forwards to the back line has been exceptional and Humphrey's and Underhay in the full back positions have grown in confidence as the season progressed - numerous attacks were commenced through the back four with patient passing and build up play.
The first opportunity fell to the home side - the pace of Mayers and Griffiths up front has caused many sides problems and they combined well to win the opening penalty corner of the game Bevans strike turned away by the magpies keeper.
Excellent work from the home side restricted the visitors to long ball tactics and Tim Blackburn, playing through illness man marked the Magpies playmaker out of the game for long periods allowing the midfield to turn over ball in the centre of the pitch.
Nick Keefe has excelled in the central midfield role in recent weeks and he and Blackburn controlled the game for long periods and following patient build up Mayers crashed the ball across the D and the excellent Chris Clubb swept the ball home to give the home side the lead.
Sudbury's second goal came from another crash ball, Bevan dropped deep to collect, turned and picked out the run of Griffiths who beat the onrushing keeper to the ball and his deflection looped over the goal keeper and nestled in the back of the net.
With minutes remaining in the half top scorer Bevan nearly opened his tally as he ran onto a pin point pass to the far post but his deflection agonisingly crashed into the post and rebounded clear.
The second half was a much more even affair as the visitors came out fighting and the red and whites reverted to a more direct game play and struglled to break down a compact defence marshalled by their goalkeeper who made some good saves throughout.
In the Sudbury goal Smith had a quiet afternoon as the entire team worked tirelessly and the visitors couldn't muster a shot on goal all afternoon, Monk organised the back line excellently to allow Blackburn to forage in the centre alongside the hardworking midfield.
Midway through the half Bevan score his 16th league goal, a well worn short corner was dispatched low and hard into the bottom corner.
Minutes later Mayers swept the ball into the net following good work from Bevan but the umpire disallowed the goal as the visitors protested the ball had gone out of play on the baseline.
A 3-0 victory avenged the defeat earlier in the season and the scoreline could and possibly should have been more emphatic but this win puts Sudbury 1 point behind first and second and puts them firmly in contention for promotion. This week is a tough test with the trip to last seasons fellow promoted team Gorleston who are embedded in a relegation battle but will prove a stern examination on their home pitch