AFC Sudbury chief Danny Laws looking under-18s to raise their levels after scraping past Bury Town in Suffolk cup while Sunderland come calling for Shane Temple
Danny Laws admitted AFC Sudbury were far from at their best as they edged a five-goal thriller at Bury Town to book their semi-final spot in the Blue Square Solutions Suffolk Boys’ Under-18 Midweek Cup.
The young Yellows headed to Ram Meadow on Tuesday having carried out a demolition act on their last visit in December, triumphing 7-0 in the FA Youth Cup.
But on a rain-lashed pitch the Blues presented the four-time consecutive winners with a real tough challenge.
After Jesper Lawrence’s 32nd-minute header gave them a 1-0 half-time advantage, Bury twice pegged them back but on both occasions Josh Stokes hit back with a reply, his 73rd-minute finish ultimately proving decisive.
“A lot has happened in the world since December and I think that affects our performance – that is not taking anything away from Bury Town Under-18s, they came with a game plan and were successful at doing it,” said academy director and team manager Laws.
“We do not feel we were anywhere near our best. Obviously we were at our very best in December to play the way we did as the performance was amazing.
“Tonight was always going to be a different game but we were not where we should be which is for various reasons but maybe because by this time teams we’ve had in the past at Sudbury are really picking momentum up.
“Captains who have lifted this trophy like your Adam Hansons, I can remember him steaming up this pitch a couple of years ago; unplayable.
“Our boys are not at that stage because they haven’t had the three months of input and that’s not making excuses or taking away anything from Bury Town who I thought were really magnificent on the night.
“But we have managed to manoeuvre out of the cup tie with some wonderful deliveries from Luke Hipkin and well done to Josh Stokes for getting on the end of a couple of things as well as Jesper with the first goal.
“We are pleased about that but we realise we are not where we should be. And we are going to try our very best in the semi-final and final to try and mirror some team’s performances of past who have dominated this competition.”
Despite Sudbury seeing more of the attacking play it was a game not short on chances for either side.
Among them, Bury’s Joseph Wilson did well to turn Jack Palmer’s early free-kick on to the crossbar while Kyran Cooper’s pacey breakaway ended with Luke Craigie forced into a diving save at the other end.
The full-time academy side’s breakthrough moment came from a Hipkin corner which found Lawrence unmarked and he thundered in his header.
Bury responded well though and Jack Turner went close with a free kick before his throughball, which Thomas Pinyoun fired in, was ruled out for offside.
AFC were punished early in the second half for not clearing Callum Steed’s 50th-minute free-kick with captain Andrew Conroy despatching a loose ball through a crowded box.
Within four minutes Sudbury regained the lead as Steed gave away sloppy possession in the centre-circle and Bury were unable to clear their lines this time with Stokes’ low shot from the edge of the area finding the bottom left-hand corner.
Steed atoned for his mistake four minutes earlier, though, with a great turn and curling finish from the edge of the penalty area for 2-2.
It continued to be a tightly-contested affair but it was the holders who got their noses in front again with Stokes’ glancing header from another fine Hipkin free kick delivery 17 minutes from time.
Despite a couple of late Bury chances Craigie was not seriously troubled, though the visitors were no doubt feeling relief at the final whistle.
Sudbury: Craigie, Penn, Adams, Ambrose, Hipkin, Palmer, Banyard (Smith 90’), Lennie (Long 77’), Harvey, Lawrence, Stokes. Unused subs: Blunkell, Kirk, Strachan.
Free Press Man of the Match: Luke Hipkin.
Sunderland come calling for Temple
Meanwhile, academy striker Shane Temple has returned to Oldham Athletic for a second trial during the course of the last week, having moved on from a spell with Southend United. But academy coach Craig Power has revealed League One side Sunderland were in touch this week to set up a trial for next week.
Laws said Alfie Adams - who was wanted by Southend United and Sheffield Wednesday after his Oldham trial – has been recommended to take a break from his pro trials to allow a hamstring injury to receive some necessary treatment.
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