A new star emerges at AFC Sudbury as 16-year-old Emily Newcomb comes off the bench to scores for AFC Sudbury Women away at Queens Park Rangers

Both AFC Sudbury’s senior sides ended up taking a point apiece in 1-1 draws at the weekend, but while the men’s – including missing a 97th-minute penalty – left a bitter taste the women’s was a sweet success, especially as it saw a new star emerge.

The name on everyone’s lips in the aftermath of Sunday’s away game with Queens Park Rangers was Emily Newcomb. The 16-year-old came off the bench for her first minutes in the FA Women’s National League (FANWL) and then ensured it was to be a momentous day in her development.

The first-year student had seen her side trailing since the 13th minute when R’s striker Grace Stanley was threaded through and rounded Ipswich Town loanee goalkeeper Nina Meollo.

In danger of heading towards their first defeat in nine Division One South East matches, the teenager, introduced at the start of the second half to play down the right-hand side of the attack, found herself in the right place at the right time to convert a spilled Megan Edwards shot in the 53rd minute into the roof of the net.

That proved to be the final goal of the game to ensure Luke and Stefan Mallett’s side did not depart the Skyex Community Stadium – whom QPR groundshare with Hayes & Yeading – with nothing to show for their efforts.

Newcomb told the club’s X account: “It feels amazing, I came off the bench and I was really nervous, I wasn’t really expecting to do much, obviously not having a lot of experience, but I loved it.

“It was really good, I’ve never played at this level before and it’s helping me improve.”

Her manager Luke Mallett, who described it as ‘a game of two halves’ said: “The two subs we made at half-time made a real impact, affecting the game in a really positive way.

“In the second half I think we had the majority of the ball, we kept it and popped it around and I think that was more like our levels than in the first half.”

With one game to go until the halfway marker in their season – which does not come until the away game at Actonians on January 5 – AFC lie fifth out of the 12 teams but just six points off top spot, occupied by Real Bedford, compared to 15 above the relegation zone.

Having been in a relegation fight ahead of securing their survival with a few games to spare last season, Mallett said: “I think we’re ahead of where we thought we were going to be this year.

“With the players we brought in we probably knew we had the quality to be where we are.

“We were worried about gelling which takes time but the girls hit the ground running this season and off the back of last season, I don’t think we can ask for too much more.”

Meanwhile, the preceding afternoon saw Marc Abbott’s AFC Sudbury side see three points snatched away by an 88th-minute equaliser at home to relegation-threatened Hitchin Town – though a 97th-minute penalty gave them a chance of redemption before it was blazed over the crossbar to the despair of everyone connected to the home side.

After Ollie Peters’ cool eighth-minute one-on-one finish, things had been looking towards heading for what would have been a fourth win in their last six matches in the Pitching In Southern League Premier Central –for a side who had gone into the fixture in ninth place and just three points off a play-off spot.

But a failure to add to their tally eventually proved costly as well as the late penalty miss in their last home match before Christmas, with this Saturday seeing the now 10th-placed side travel to basement dwellers Biggelswade United (3pm). Their upcoming opponents have one win and eight draws in 19 matches.

Reflecting on their 1-1 draw, which did preserve their unbeaten home league record, Abbott told the club’s X account: “Obviously you take a point. Were we at our best? Probably not.

“I thought the early goal again had similarities with Barwell away, scoring early.

“The game petered out a little bit first half.

“The second half had a lot of moments that ended the game, really. The goal in the 88th-minute and the moment at the end where we’ve broken and won the penalty and obviously, unfortunately, Joe couldn’t convert.

“But overall I thought a draw was probably about fair and when you’re Hitchin you’re fighting for points with a new manager and a new style which is quite effective.”