AFC Sudbury head coach Danny Laws still searching for right formula after 1-0 derby loss to Bury Town

His hope is that it will not be required, but AFC Sudbury boss Danny Laws has conceded that he may have to bring in new players if his side cannot turnaround their tough start to the new season.

The curtain rose on 2025/26 for the Yellows in positive fashion with a 2-0 home victory over Redditch United.

But since then Laws’ side have endured a run of four straight defeats in the Southern League Premier Central Division, during which time they have conceded 13 goals and scored just one.

Saturday’s 4-0 home loss at the hands of Quorn was particularly galling and it prompted Laws to issue an apology to supporters via the club’s social media channels.

Forty-eight hours later Sudbury certainly produced an improved display away at neighbouring Bury Town, but they ultimately made the short journey back down the A134 with nothing to show for their efforts after George Quantrell netted the only goal of the game for the hosts 12 minutes from time.

It is, of course, very much a new Sudbury team. A number of the previous season’s squad opted to move on during the summer and those that have been recruited are still finding their feet.

Laws has been involved in the game long enough to know that patience is required in this type of scenario, but at the same time football is a results driven business.

He said: “This is a new team and a new group of players. It’s not excuses, but six of the starting 11 (from last season) left and the first two substitutes off the bench were Matt Miles and Ben Bradley - they both left as well.

“You’re looking at eight influential players and obviously we’ve recruited some good ones and I’ve been pleased with them, but that’s a lot of players to be losing in one go.

“It’s a cliche and it will take time, so it's down to me to find the best way to play and get results.

“You can change systems and hopefully I’ll find the right one.

“I’ve said to the players – and I don’t mean it disrespectfully to any of them because we’ve got a good group of guys – but if we change the way we play or certain things tactically and it doesn’t work, then I’ll need to change players.

“I’ve told them that and that’s my job ultimately. That’s football but hopefully it will not come to that. They’re a good group and they’re learning, but we need to start seeing some results as well.”

Sudbury certainly had their fair share of chances at Bury.

Youngster Kaidon Tower-King, who was arguably AFC’s brightest spark on the day, twice worked Charlie Beckwith in the Bury goal and he was also off target with another left footed effort just before Quantrell decisively broke the deadlock.

Marcel Lewis, Callum Page and Kane Gilbert also went close, but Sudbury’s wait for a goal has now stretched to three-and-a-half games of football.

Laws said: “We let Bury get a stranglehold at the start of both halves and then you’re always up against it for possession and position and so on.

“Bury were good value for their win but that’s not a 4-0 drubbing at home. I did see improvement, although that’s a difficult thing to say because it’s still no points.

“If it had been a draw that probably would have been about right. It felt like the game was petering out a little bit into a 0-0 draw before they scored.

“We haven't scored for three games now and if you’re not scoring for three games you need to do things differently.

“I’d like to thank our fans. They travelled in their numbers and we could hear them, which does make a difference. Sorry we couldn’t deliver something positive for them.”

The focus now switches to the FA Cup, with Sudbury preparing to host Step 4 outfit Mildenhall Town in the first qualifying round on Saturday (3pm).

The Yellows stuck five goals without reply past Phil Weavers’ side during pre-season, but Laws has insisted that game will have no relevance at the weekend.

“We've got a difficult game at the weekend. The pre-season game against Mildenhall bares no reflection on real football – real football is the FA Cup this weekend,” said Laws.

“They’re from a level below and they’re going to see what our record has been like, so they’ll quite rightly come and try and upset us.

“It's a massive game so I want our players to respond. It’s a big competition for us and we want to give something back to the supporters and give them something to cheer.

“We’ll be focused and we’ll doing everything that we can to win the cup tie.”