Our second game of the day tested out our fitness levels as it immediately followed our game against Witham. We were all well aware of what had happened against these guys on Saturday 26th of February 2017 (0-2 up until the last ten minutes before they scored three goals; the last goal was me kicking the ball between Jason’s legs). We were out to get our revenge and it was all spookily similar to what happened last season as Graham McCulloch, doing what he does best, slotted in two well-worked short corners in the first half.

It was a great first half as Sudbury were a fast and skillful attacking side who had many chances on goal, but Jason was having a great day between the posts, saving everything coming his way. The defence was working well and absorbing all that was thrown at them. The closest Sudbury came was a shot that Rossellini saved on the line, deflecting the ball onto the post, which then landed, span just outside the post and came to a halt on the back line. His next move wasn’t so great as he pushed the ball approximately 3cm over the line, consequently giving the opposition a short corner.

Another well-structured half time team talk by our new captains hammered home the message that we needed to have a big ten minutes at the start of the second half. However, within a minute Sudbury had pulled one back with a lethal cross and a bundle over the line.

The home side started to take advantage of our waning fitness and applied a lot of pressure. Joel, our ‘sit in front’ sweeper, was distributing the ball well but in general our passing success rate started to drop and caused us to have to work even harder. This led to two more goals from Sudbury to put the score at 3-2.

I was sent to the sideline after getting hit by the ball in the head. I quite rightly pointed out that I was fine as the ball hit me in the eyebrow, where I have a slightly larger than average boney bit (which I referred to as a ‘Neandathilic type of bone’), costing me a second Lemon award of the afternoon. Sudbury scored a couple more goals making the final score 5-2.

On the whole a great day out, with lots of positives to take forward to the new season in Division 2 South.