AFC Sudbury and Bury Town playing for home tie prize against AFC Wimbledon and then Burnley in FA Youth Cup

Danny Laws feels the FA Youth Cup draw has given his AFC Sudbury Academy players all the motivation they need to continue their progress in the competition this season.

The Yellows’ under-18s will go to Bury Town for their delayed first round proper tie on Monday (7.45pm, tickets being sold online by Bury Town) looking to take the local bragging rights as well as setting up a home tie with professional outfit AFC Wimbledon.

There is also now an even greater carrot dangling for achieving club history by reaching the third round proper, with Premier League Burnley lying in wait for another home tie.

The Monday date, which is usually when Bury’s U18s play their home matches at Ram Meadow, does leave a quick turnaround with the full-time scholars set to be in action on Saturday across the club’s various sides.

But it does not worry academy director Laws, who has handed over the managerial dugout duties in the Youth Cup this season to Craig Power.

“We have been planning for it to be on the Monday as that is Bury’s usual night,” he said. “But yes, it is a bit of a tight turnaround from Saturday to Monday but the boys are probably chomping at the bit to play football. And they are going to have to get used to turning around competitive games in short periods of time. It should be a good game.

“Craig has been head coach of our 18s in the Youth Cup where it has previously been myself but Dave Cannon and myself have been at the games and it has been good and there is a good feeling about this group.”

The side features striker Shane Temple and midfielder Jake Banyard, who were part of the squad during last year’s run to the second round proper, where they went out 2-1 at Bristol Rovers.

A victory on Monday would ensure they meet another Football League side in the competition, having also faced Cambridge United and Swindon Town in recent seasons.

“It (AFC Wimbledon) is a home draw and it is big motivation for both teams to win on Monday,” Laws said.

“We are probably a bit more experienced at reaching the first round proper of late but any team that gets that far has got to have some good players and a bit about them and be well organised.

“Mark Jolland, who is the manager of their 18s used to run our 16s with Craig so we know Mark pretty well.”

Sudbury won 3-2 at Redbridge in the last round, on October 19, and 4-2 at Dereham Town earlier that month while Ipswich Wanderers were swept aside 8-0 in first round qualifying.

Both themselves and Bury are in different regional divisions of the Thurlow Nunn Youth League, which AFC Sudbury have been perennial winners of in recent completed championship play-off seasons.

In the current campaign, the young Yellows have lost three of their five matches, winning two, in the South division to lie sixth. Bury have won both of their opening games in the Cambridge division to sit fourth.

Meanwhile, AFC Sudbury Reserves, who Laws manages and uses to give senior football experience to academy players, are among the clubs restarting their Thurlow Nunn League First Division North fixtures on Saturday.

They were meant to be hosting Downham Town, who have changed their restart date, but will now host Sheringham (3pm) in a rearranged fixture on the same day.

Laws’ side resume in 13th in the table following four games without a win, including two draws, before the lockdown came in.

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