AFC Sudbury manager Marc Abbott says performances need to take a back seat after defeat to Leiston leaves them four points adrift of safety

Following a punishing weekend in their relegation battle, AFC Sudbury manager Marc Abbott said they must now switch to a substance over style mentality for the remaining games to give them the best chance of survival.

The Yellows’ 2-1 defeat over at Leiston on Saturday, combined with Kettering Town’s 1-0 win at mid-table Hitchin Town, saw them move to four points from safety in the Pitching In Southern League Premier Central. They have also played a game more than Kettering who host 16th-placed Bromsgrove Sporting tomorrow.

Off the back of losing six points, with financially-troubled Nuneaton Borough’s results being expunged, the AFC boss had felt last week that there was still ‘a balance’ to be had between results and performance.

But his assessment of that ahead of hosting third-placed Mickleover on Saturday (3pm) has shifted as he calls for his side to be ‘harder to beat’.

“I said to the players now performance probably has to have a backseat, I think it's now about us hitting points targets and points,” he said in his post-match interview on the club’s X account, formerly known as Twitter.

“Obviously with today's results I think it makes it tough for us but I said to the players, if you want to stay in the dressing room you've got to stay on it and you've got to be harder to play against really.

"We will obviously have a week preparing for Mickleover but we need to see more from us as a group, myself included.

"I think Mickleover will be a tough opposition but look, we need to show a greater intensity, we need to show the attitude that we had out of possession three or four weeks ago.

“If we do that we can be a very good side but without that, again, we've shown today that teams can open us up and hurt us on the break."

It was two goals early in each half which saw Suffolk rivals Leiston – now nine points clear of them with games in hand – seal victory.

In the ninth minute, George Quantrell steered in a header from Jack Manly’s cut-back cross.

In what was an end-to-end half, Callum Page got them back on terms in the 25th minute with his first goal since transferring across from Needham Market. The former Ipswich Town professional checked back inside his marker in the area from Joe Neal’s ball back before firing into the far top left-hand corner.

But the Sudbury defence was undone again within two minutes of the second period as Jamar Loza chested down a pass and turned before playing Seb Dunbar into the area with the skipper rifling in from just outside the angle of the six-yard box.

James Bradbrook had to turn a free kick up onto his crossbar to prevent his side going further behind while Joe Neal forced a save up the other end.

But it was Leiston who missed a number of chances thereafter as the game finished 2-1.

Abbott said: "It was a frustrating game.

"I think obviously the timings of the goals were poor; nine minutes for the first one and 47 for the second one.

"They opened us up at ease for the two goals and were clinical really.

"In the first 15 to 20 minutes I thought we struggled with how they were playing and we had to change in terms of our out of possession work, more solid and Leiston couldn't play through us.

"Saying that, I thought they always had a threat in transition. I think once the turnover happened they were expansive, attacking, direct as they had some good players on the pitch.

"For us it's a frustration as I think when we're at our best ie. the goal and a couple of moments that we had I thought we looked a very good side.”

AFC will be looking to bounce back against a Mickleover side who beat them 5-0 in September’s reverse fixture.