A Yellow triumph!

The station at Marks Tey, a few stops away from Sudbury on the ‘Gainsborough Line,’ was crowded with football supporters as we headed towards todays Pitching In Isthmian North Play Off Final. Sadly they were all wearing the colours of Ipswich Town, so were off to spectate at a rather inferior football match, but just as the train was preparing to depart a gaggle of Heybridge Swifts fans boarded and all was suddenly right with the world. They proceeded to serenade the shoppers heading home with a soothing rendition of “We love you Heybridge, we do,” and by the time we pulled into Sudbury surely all on board loved Heybridge too. Well, perhaps most on board, anyway.

As they left the station, they were marching to the tune of “Oh when the Swifts go marching in,” and off they went, marching into the Sudbury branch of Wetherspoons. We would undoubtedly see- and hear- then again later.

There had been a lot to love about Heybridge this season. There had also been a lot to love about todays hosts, AFC Sudbury. Both sides had delivered some scintillating attacking football, and their place in this showpiece was the reward- although the Yellows, with ninety one points, were perhaps hoping for a rather different outcome to the campaign, and might have got it had Hashtag United not suddenly transformed into world beaters.

It had been a marvellous season for Sudbury. With only five defeats to their name, only champions Hashtag United had scored more goals, and nobody had conceded fewer- and yet we suspected that if they could have chosen their opposition then Swifts would have been the last names on their list. Steve Tilson’s side ended the Yellows unbeaten start to the season on November 15th, goals from Kieran Jones, Sam Carter and Darren Phillips enough for three points despite two for the phenomenal Nnamdi Nwachuku at the other end- and when they met again in mid February a late goal from Rob Harvey earned the side in stripes a two-two draw, a result which meant that Swifts became the only North Division side not to lose to Sudbury this season.

Both sides came into our showpiece in fine form. The Yellows had won seven of their last eight and came from behind to defeat Grays Athletic in the Semi-Final in midweek, whilst their visitors were eight games unbeaten and reached the Final by knocking out Lowestoft Town at the seaside.

It had been six years since Sudbury last graced our top flight, a one-season visit following a North Division title win in 2016; whilst Swifts had been away since relegation in 2009, but will argue- justifiably- that their break should have been considerably shorter. In 2019 they reached the Play Off Final, defeated local rivals Maldon & Tiptree on penalties, and were denied promotion on points-per-game because an FA restructure meant that there was one fewer promotion spot than was actually being competed for. We’re sure that the supporters- and perhaps striker Matthew Price, who played in that Final- were considering today as a chance to right that wrong.

It was another striker who came into this match with plaudits, however, Nnamdi Nwachuku started with an incredible FORTY NINE goals so far this season- like an Isthmian Erling Harland. Would he hit the half century today? We were about to find out.

The visitors got us underway, whilst their supporters, short on reading material, asked about the location of the latest library. That’s what happens when you don’t have a printed programme; bibliophiles look for alternatives. The opening stages, as expected, were a little nervy, enlivened only by a Swifts claim for a penalty that was wildly optimistic.

The hosts fashioned the first chances in the seventh minute. Josh Stokes was the architect, moving into the box and firing in an effort that rebounded to Nnamdi Nwachuku, but the ball was chest high and the striker couldn’t quite get a decent contact, his effort blocked and cleared. This coincided with an enforced change for the Yellows, Harrison Chatting hobbling off, to be replaced by George Cocklin.

A period of home pressure followed. Ben Hunter charged down the right and cut the ball inside to Stokes, who seemed to have time and space to shoot but instead tried to move forward a yard and was crowded out, to the groans of the home faithful.

It was the hosts turn to yell for a penalty on nineteen minutes, and it did rather look as if Stokes had been pushed over by Myles Anderson, but the referee was unmoved, deciding that the Sudbury number seven had gone down too easily. He might have been right, but Stokes was posing the chief danger at this point, and as if to underline that had the next chance, shooting over.

The visitors first real chance arrived as we approached the half hour. Sam Park received the ball just outside the box, ran a few yards along the edge, then curled in a fine shot that dipped just over the bar. At the other end, Nwachuku cleared the bar by a considerably wider margin, whilst Jake Turner tried a chip which Thomas Wray in the Swifts goal was wise to. “Yellows, yellows,” sang the fabs behind Wray’s goal, although their flag said “Yellas,” so it seemed were far more articulate in person than in flag form.

Swifts were forced into a change six minutes before the break, Ryan Boswell the latest to limp off, Louie Arrowsmith his replacement. Arrowsmith was immediately called into action as the hosts attacked down the left, some frantic defending required to deal with the danger.

The half came to an end after five added minutes. The match had not yet lived up to its billing.

The second half commenced with a period of yellow pressure, and the first chance of the half fell to Hunter, who pulled his shot wide and looked rather annoyed about it. It was, however, a positive start for Sudbury, and the game suddenly had more pace, although it was still crying out for a goal. “We’re the black and white army,” sang the Swifts fans, whose team were in…red.

We reached the hour mark. Joe Grimwood headed a free kick over the bar, and still the keepers remained mainly redundant. The hosts had most of the ball, but Nwachuku was so desperate for involvement that he’d taken to dropping deep and trying to be a midfielder and a forward at the same time. He needed credit for multitasking, but so far he’d been as unable to create himself a chance as his team mates had at creating one for him. Swifts were sitting deep and playing long, relying on Price to be able to hold up play when they could get it to him; and he earned his side a corner on sixty six minutes. When it was delivered, Ben Sartain was sure he’d been fouled, but the referee was rather less sure and play continued. The fans at both ends continued to deliver loud encouragement, which was handy as it ensured that the rest of us didn’t drift off into daydreams, as the football wasn’t all that distracting.

With seventeen minutes to go Sudbury sparked into life, a free kick headed over his own bar by a defender and two corners which caused a little Swifts concern, but not enough to worry their keeper. The one thousand, two hundred and fifty seven who had turned up really needed something to get excited by. Sakariya Hassan tried to provide it, creating an opportunity for himself, but his shot didn’t really trouble Wray. We moved into the last ten minutes whilst beginning to think about thirty more. A shot from Turner was struck well, but right down the keepers throat, and easily saved- but an effort from Hassan came closer, dipping over the bar with the Swifts stopper at full stretch.

Two minutes into added time, Quba Gordon strode forward confidently and tried a shot for Swifts. It cleared the bar by such a distance it’s probably orbiting Jupiter, and it somehow seemed to sum up the second half entirely.

Four minutes into the first period of extra time and David Hughes- you’d forgotten he existed, hadn’t you- finally had a shot to save, an effort from Park causing him, well, not too much concern. And then, at the other end, the best chance of the game so far. A free kick was flighted in to the far post by Reece Harris, and Turner forced a fine save from Wray, who tipped it over. And then, a minute later, glory glory hallelujah, we had a goal, and it was Turner again, this time giving Wray no chance. One-nil, and the hosts celebrated with wild abandon, whilst the neutrals breathed a sigh of relief so hard you could hear it in Chelmsford.

Swifts had twenty two minutes to save the game.

Rob Harvey, on the right, twisted and turned with two defenders making him, wriggled free, and forced Hughes to stretch and touch over. The corner was headed off the line by Harris, and Swifts had another- but this one was held by Hughes, who fell on it, gratefully- and the first period came to an end.

The second period started with Sudbury sitting back- a risky business- but a break brought them a corner, for which Swifts left three players up, so the Yellows brought four back. The space created in the box almost played into Nwachuku’s hands, as he managed to find the inside of the post- only to find a defender standing exactly in that space to clear. The hosts then got the ball in the corner and, via a collection of throw ins, kept it there for almost four minutes. A collection of pushing and shoving matches wasted even more time.

Finally the visitors had a period of sustained pressure, but the home defence stood firm and then broke, great work from Hassan setting up his number nine, who finished well- but was flagged offside. Time was up. How long? It almost didn’t matter, Nwachuku charging forward and bringing a fine save from Wray, but still the game went on. Two added minutes felt like a lifetime, and then, finally, it was over.

The game wasn’t a classic. But nobody in yellow will care- and nobody can argue that, over the course of the game and the course of the season, they didn’t deserve it. Congratulations to all at AFC Sudbury- see you at Step Three next season.

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