Danny Laws brimming with pride as AFC Sudbury U18s' FA Youth Cup journey ends at Cambridge United
Danny Laws has said he simply ‘could not have asked any more of the players’ who represented AFC Sudbury Academy at Cambridge United as their FA Youth Cup journey came to a proud end.
The result of the first round proper tie was in doubt for much of the night as the home team, watched by the Sky Bet League Two side’s first-team manager Joe Dunne, eventually set up a tie at Yeovil Town with a 2-1 victory.
Last Wednesday’s match saw AFC’s youngsters keep the U’s at bay for 50 minutes before they scored twice ahead of a late penalty consolation from Isaac Skubich.
It saw them go one step further than last year’s much-celebrated crop and was only the second time an AFC Sudbury side had reached that stage.
They could have even gone into the interval with an advantage with a rare chance seeing left-back Liam Bennett strike the crossbar.
But Sudbury goalkeeper Charlie McCarthy was beaten by a quality 25-yard strike five minutes after the restart from Ben Worman.
Sam Bennett eventually added a killer second with a precise lob nine minutes from time, before Skubich ensured the travelling support got their moment to witness AFC scoring in a professional stadium in the dying moments.
It was a night which left the club’s director of football and youth development brimming with pride.
“We could not have asked any more of the players on the night at Cambridge,” said Laws. “We were always in the game, and when you are playing a higher-ranked or professional side there is always that worry at the back of your mind that you will be absolutely played off the park and that was not the case.
“It was 0-0 at half-time and deservedly so. But if you are going to cause that upset you need certain things to go your way and their goalkeeper made a magnificent save off his face on 49 and then a minute later one of their guys scores a shot that not many of the goalkeepers I know would have saved.”
He added: “We are really proud of our boys and not just the boys, it was another one of those occasions where I was proud to be part of our football club; from the chairman to the supporters, directors and my amazing coaching staff all representing us.”
* AFC Sudbury A (first-team academy side) booked their place in the third round of the Suffolk Primary Cup with an 8-1 success over Elmswell in front of a healthy crowd at King’s Marsh on Friday evening.
Craig Power’s side have been drawn at home to Ransomes Sports Reserves, while Cavendish, 3-2 winners against Bardwell Sports, will host Wortham (both December 1, 1.45pm).
* AFC Sudbury Reserves (12th) lost 1-0 at home to Thurlow Nunn League First Division league leaders Harleston Town last weekend and are at Fakenham Town on Saturday (3pm) before hosting Felixstowe & Walton United Reserves on Tuesday (8pm).
