AFC Sudbury manager bullish about chances in Buildbase FA Trophy preliminary round at VCD Athletic

Mark Morsley is feeling more bullish about his AFC Sudbury side’s prospects in the Buildbase FA Trophy this weekend – despite back-to-back defeats in the last week, writes Alex Moss.

AFC were beaten 3-1 away at BetVictor Isthmian North Division strugglers Brentwood Town last Saturday, and then 5-4 on penalties at home to lower-league Hadleigh United in the Suffolk Premier Cup on Tuesday night.

However, the Sudbury boss has said he takes his side to VCD Athletic for the preliminary round tie on Saturday (3pm) on the back of a ‘solid performance’ against Hadleigh last time out.

“The FA Trophy is a target competition for us,” Morsley said.

“We want to perform well in the league, but also the FA competitions.

“They offer us a chance to play different sides, there’s money to win.

“We know VCD will be a tough game. I know Keith McMahon, the manager over there, very well. We’re up against a tough team who are doing OK in their league (6th in the BetVictor Isthmian South East Division).

“I’ve played against them a few times before with other clubs and it’s not an easy place to go.

“But I feel a lot more bullish about the game following on from our performance on Tuesday than I would have had we gone into it straight after our game last Saturday.”

The FA Trophy, which is open to clubs at Steps 1-4 of the non-league pyramid, offers clubs the carrot of a final at Wembley in May.

Since first entering the competition back in 2006, AFC’s best run has been to the last 32 in 2016/17, under former boss Jamie Godbold.

Morsley’s first game of his second spell in charge of the Yellows was in the FA Trophy, a 1-1 draw at home to Aylesbury United in October 2017.

Sudbury have exited at the first round qualifying and preliminary round stages in the last two seasons.

The winners Saturday’s tie at The Oakwood will pocket £2,250, with the losers receiving £750.