Today we welcomed DAFA to the Kings Marsh stadium off the back of a good performance in our friendly against Cornard Dynamos last week, and we decided to stick with the 3-2-3 formation that worked really well.

Sudbury doing their usual and started slowly with DAFA forcing an early save from Harry and we’re soon attacking again but this time seeing their effort go just wide.

Sudbury finally woke up and Leo played a great through ball to Jack D who pulled his shot just wide.

Freddie started to push forward but couldn’t find a way through.

Leo started to come into the game now and won the ball in the centre of the pitch and played forward to Jack D who hit a first time effort that looped up over the goalie and into the top corner.

Leo again winning the ball and this time playing in Sasha whose shot was well saved.

DAFA looked dangerous on attack, but Kray was taking what he had learned in training into the game and was engaging and tackling.

A mix up at the back saw DAFA equalise against the run of play, but was nothing less than their performance so far had deserved.

Soon after DAFA took the lead when our players failed to engage DAFA’s forward and allowed him to shoot from distance into the corner of Harry’s goal which he could do nothing to stop.

The score was soon level again when Sudbury won a corner. Jack D turned provider and swung in a brilliant corner that Jack V calmly back heeled into the DAFA goal.

Jack V almost turned provider soon after when he drove down the left, but sadly his cross just eluded the Sudbury attackers.

DAFA almost took the lead when a counter won them a corner. The corner was swung in and hit the far post and rebounded back to their striker and Harry fearlessly dived to his feet to force the ball away from danger.

DAFA always seemed to have extra players on the attack so we switched to 3-4-1 to try and get a hold of the midfield. It almost paid off instantly when we won the ball in the centre of the park and played forwards but both Jacks chased the same ball and left for the other and it was cleared away.

Half time 2-2.

Almost instantly from the re-start it looked like DAFA had taken the lead as the had the ball in the back of the net, but the referee adjudged that Harry had his hand on the ball when it was kicked and disallowed it.

Sudbury didn’t seem up for the second half and we’re playing some sloppy football with DAFA looking the stronger team and most likely to score.

Sudbury still had chances with Leo finding space in the box but he couldn’t control his shot and saw it roll wide.

Jack V started to get stuck in and really started to take the game to DAFA down our left hand side but couldn’t find a way through.

An attack from the right saw Dylan swing in a brilliant cross that if Max had been an inch or 2 taller, he wouldn’t have been stretching for the ball when striking left footed and saw his effort graze the post and go wide.

DAFA looked like they had taken the lead when a goal mouth scramble looked like the ball was going in, but Dougie got back to clear off the line.

A big lump forward saw Leo make a nuisance of himself and win the ball and strike early only to see his effort go just wide.

Sudbury were under pressure in defence but stood firm, but lacked composure which would have relieved some pressure but were snatching at the ball.

A good throw from Dylan released Max who crossed but the keeper got to it before Jack V could.

Max and Jude were battling well in midfield, but we just couldn’t take control of the game and always looked panicked when on the ball.

DAFA started to up the pressure and we’re pinning us in our box.

Max looked like he had scored when Leo had set him free down the left but his shot hit the post and went out for a goal kick.

DAFA finally broke Sudbury’s hearts when they won the ball from a Sudbury goal kick and quickly countered and scored.

We switched to our usual 3-3-2 formation to try and salvage a point but DAFA stood firm for the last couple of minutes to win the game.

Hard defeat today, but we must learn from it and ensure that we engage our opponents sooner and don’t give them time in the ball and get back to doing what we do best and putting teams under pressure from our attackers.

Todays Man Of The Match was awarded to our 2 centre midfielders that gave everything today and you could see todays loss meant a lot to them and they often get over looked for their efforts being the coaches sons. Well done Max and Jude.

Next week we reset, have some fun and start enjoying the games again and do what we do best.