Stalemate at the MEL Stadium

Greg Crane had to be alert when under pressure to head back to Alex Archer who had moved well off his line to gather. On sixteen minutes James Baker brought a long goal-kick under control and sent the pass into Steve Spriggs. His cross was easily picked out of the night sky by Daniel Knowles as chances continued to elude both sides. The best chance of the game thus far came on seventeen minutes. A long left wing throw fell to James Baker who found Steve Spriggs just outside the six-yard box on the left. His shot was rifled high over the crossbar when perhaps the Sudbury number seven had more time than he realised to compose himself before the shot.

Harlow responded with a break at pace, but Scott Mitchell cleared with a towering header. A Sudbury free-kick saw Michael Shinn deliver just beyond Steve Spriggs as the home side looked to spring a rapid attack on the visitors. Shinn then sent a free-kick following a push on James Baker, straight into the arms of Daniel Knowles in the Harlow Town goal. Harlow’s Joshua Urquhart delivered a twenty-fourth minute free-kick into James Smith who knocked a first-time effort over the crossbar. Play in no way improved with the scrappy, aerial tone of the game by now well engrained. It wasn’t until the thirty-third minute that another chance surfaced. Former Sudbury striker Leon Antoine found space in the box to turn and shoot with Alex Archer falling to turn the ball brilliantly behind the post for a corner. Next Greg Crane was brilliant in the tackle to deny Alex Reed as again the guilt-edged chance eluded the sides. Harlow then came the closest to break the deadlock when Josh Urquhart hit a free-kick from 30 yards which bobbled in front of the diving Archer before coming back off of the post.

Matt Daniels was fouled on the edge of the Harlow penalty area in a central position. Michael Shinn’s set-piece went over the crossbar as the deadlock remained. Just before the break, James baker sent Michael Shinn through with a neat pass, but his shot was deflected behind by some fine defending and the resultant corner easily cleared.

Half Time; AFC Sudbury 0 Harlow Town 0

Steve Spriggs ran strongly into the Harlow Town area following a fine turn and cross-field ball from James Baker. Once again the cross was cut out by the well-drilled visiting defence and the attack came to nothing. Sam Clarke did well to find Steve Spriggs with a long ball, but he couldn’t bring the ball under control quickly enough for a shot on goal before he was swamped by the Harlow defence. Greg Crane was booked for a foul on Alex Read as the game again became bogged down in aerial ping-pong and head-tennis.

Ben Thompson came into the action for Steve Spriggs on sixty-three minutes. Thompson immediately caused a minor tremor in the Harlow defence as Sudbury entered the penalty area of the visitors for the first time in the half. Sam Clarke rose really well to head clear a Harlow corner kick before a Michael Shinn shot from just outside the penalty area was blocked in a box containing almost every visiting player. Sam Clarke’s cross was gathered easily by Knowles as neither side could create a meaningful opening. On seventy-eight minutes James Smith danced his way through the AFC Sudbury defence and fizzed a cross through the penalty area, but had no forward near enough to poke the ball home as Sudbury gratefully punted the ball clear.

With ten minutes remaining, Ryan Horne made way for Payton Swatman. Harlow substitute David Laird appeared to be booked for losing a boot as the crowd looked for any crumb of entertainment in this dour tie. Sam Clarke had a half chance deep into the four added on minutes, but his shot followed most of the efforts of the evening and passed comfortably over the crossbar. In the final minute in another AFC flourish the ball cannoned off the Harlow post to deny a goal.

And so a point a piece in a disappointing game in which both sides seemed to be dulled by the excessive games of recent weeks. Sudbury travel to Harlow for the reverse fixture on Saturday.

Thanks to the AFC Sudbury Website for the match report.