Mens 4th vs Harleston Magpies 6

The Men's 4ths got their season off to the perfect start with victory at Harleston Magpies for the first time that anyone could remember! Thanks to a late addition to the side, Tom Childs making his debut for the club, your correspondent was able to sit out most of the match and emjoy the contest. Sudbury gained poseession early on and then proceeded to boss the game creating a number of chances in the first half that just fell short. Rolfe, Gardiner and Childs all went close and but for some fine saves by the Magpies keeper the half could have ended with Sudbury 3 goals up. Magpies occasionally threatened, but the back line of Lucas, Cook and Stephens remained resolute and on the rare occassions that their line was breached, North in the Sudbury goal made some good saves.

Magpies found themselves down to 10 men through injury late in the first half, but took the game to their visitors for the first 10 minutes of the second half and Sudbury did well to keep their chance to a minimum. The deadlock was finally broken when Sudbury making the extra man tell broke at pace with Childs finding Gardiner at the back post who calmly opened his account for the season. The fast pace of the game continued with Steel, Ponsford, Childs, Knight and the excellent Seb Lee-Smith causing all sorts of problems for the magpies defence, but once again lack of composure in front of goal kept the scoreline at 1-0.

This was an excellent first game for the 4ths, marred only by Steel's somewhat harsh yellow card, his first for 30 years! The side showed lots of commitment and can take this into next weeks showdown with Felixstowe 3rds.