Adam Hipperson penalty ends AFC Sudbury's 10-game winning run and unblemished home record on Lowestoft Town boss Jamie Godbold's return
It was a happy return to AFC Sudbury for Lowestoft Town manager Jamie Godbold as an Adam Hipperson second-half penalty saw his side to a 1-0 victory against the leaders at The MEL Group Stadium this afternoon.
Hipperson converted from the spot in the 70th minute after defender Joshua Pollard had pushed Chris Henderson into the path of goalkeeper David Hughes chasing a Jake Reed throughball.
It came after Pitching In Isthmian League North Division leaders Sudbury had spurned a number of chances to get themselves in front with visiting goalkeeper Warren Burwood also excelling.
The victory ended the Yellows' winning run in the division at 10 games, a club-equalling record set by former boss Godbold's title-winning side of 2015/16 on what was his first game back in the dugout at the club since being fired early in the 2017/18 campaign following relegation.
It also saw third-placed Lowestoft become the first team to prevent Sudbury from claiming three points on their 3G pitch, with Rick Andrews' side having won all 12 this season before this afternoon.
A 3-0 win for title rivals Hashtag United at home to previous sixth-placed side Grays Athletic has seen the gap at the summit cut to just a point with the two set to meet in Suffolk later this month on Saturday, February 25.
Lowestoft had begun the day 17 points behind Sudbury with two games in hand with the latter's winning run having started back on November 19 with a 2-0 victory at the Trawlerboys.
New signing Reggie Lambe, whose arrival from fellow promotion hopefuls Stowmarket Town was announced yesterday, came straight into the home line-up as one of two changes from last weekend's 2-0 win at previous third-placed side Grays Athletic.
Somalian international Sak Hassan was also brought in to the three playing behind Nwachuku with Josh Mayhew and Harrison Chatting both dropping to the bench.
Godbold's side, who were on a six-game unbeaten run which had taken them into third, were unchanged from the 2-0 win at hone to New Salamis.
It was Sudbury who created the first opening in the third minute, but Nwachuku's header from Hassan's chipped cross landed comfortably in 'keeper Warren Burwood's gloves.
Within a minute former AFC striker Jake Reed lifted the ball over home goalkeeper David Hughes' head after the division's golden gloves winner for January rushed off his line, but it lacked enough power with Joshua Pollard able to see it away.
The Trawlerboys continued to look threatening and Adam Hipperson rifled a shot just past the right-hand post from Reed's lay-off.
There was another hairy moment for Hughes in the 16th minute when he fired a clearance straight into Reed, though was thankful to see it rebound straight back to him.
Having come through a tricky spell, Sudbury began to get themselves on top and Burwood was forced into an acrobatic save to claw away a Reece Harris free kick in the 20th minute.
Some neat interplay soon gave Josh Stokes a sight of goal from a wide angle but his effort whizzed some way past the far post.
Nwachuku was next to threaten with a header back across goal from a free kick having to be cleared by Dylan Ruffles inside the far post.
Ollie Brown found debutant Lambe running into space on the edge of the area on the half-hour mark but Bermuda's most capped international skied his shot.
Sudbury continued to move the Lowestoft defence about but their next opening did not arrive until a minute before the interval with only another goalline clearance from Ruffles denying Nwachuku the opener after Lambe cut the ball back for him with Burwood stranded.
The hosts continued to ask the questions early in the second half with Nwachuku denied by a 52nd minute block by Burwood that saw the ball divert past the far post after racing into the area off Hassan's fine throughball.
The former Reading trainee then latched on to Stokes' glancing header off Hughes' kick out but fired wide of the right-hand post.
Up the other end Hughes was required to save at the feet of Chris Henderson as he chased Hipperson's pass into the area after some neat build up from the visitors.
Play soon switched up the other end with Nwachuku firing wide on the turn from inside the area while past the hour mark the referee waved away a penalty appeal after Stokes went over breaking into the box under the attentions of Owen Murphy.
A good pass by Lambe got Hassan driving to the edge of the box but his bent shot after Charlie Norman went straight at Burwood.
An error of judgement from Pollard, who had otherwise been excellent, in the 68th minute proved costly for the hosts as his shove on Henderson as he chased down a Reed throughball saw a penalty awarded, despite it initially looking like Hughes, who subsequently clattered into him as he headed past him, had been the culprit.
Hipperson held his nerve from the kick, seeing his kick low down the middle avoid Hughes' dive.
Sudbury searched for a response with Brown's fierce effort from the edge of the box parried out by Burwood while Joe Grimwood saw a header from a Harris free-kick spin wide.
As the game entered stoppage-time substitute Deese Kasinga fired in a curling effort but Burwood was able to dive on to it.
The pressure continued and in the sixth minute of added time a deep Pollard delivery found Jake Turner unmarked but his header went straight into Burwood's grateful hands while the 'keeper also claimed a late corner well to get his side over the winning line.
It handed Sudbury only a second league defeat of the season, with the response at Tilbury next weekend now becoming a key test of their title credentials.
They will also be hoping Lowestoft can do them a favour when they host Hashtag on the same day.
AFC Sudbury: Hughes, Brown, Harris, Turner, Grimwood, Pollard, Stokes, Hunter, Nwachuku, Lambe, Hassan (Kasinga 82'), Unused subs: Chatting, Mayhew, Andrews, Shaw.
Booked: Pollard (69'), Stokes (77').
Lowestoft Town: Burwood, Norman, Murphy, McIntosh, Ruffles, Haylock (Logan 90+2'), Hinton, Reed, Hipperson, Cole, Henderson (Johnson 71'). Unused subs: Nunn, Eagle, Harvey.
Booked: Ruffles (26').
Attendance: 507
SuffolkNews Man of the Match: Warren Burwood. The Lowestoft goalkeeper made several key saves as well as commanding his area well. From a Sudbury point-of-view Josh Stokes and Ollie Brown were two players who had good performances alongside Joshua Pollard.
