RYMAN LEAGUE TRANSFER NEWS & ROUND-UP: Fans’ favourite Cowley back at AFC Sudbury

Former Supporters’ Player of The Year Dave Cowley has returned to AFC Sudbury to add to Jamie Godbold’s attacking options.

The winger, who made 75 appearances in all competitions, scoring eight goals from signing in July 2012 to leaving for Needham Market in February 2014, resigned for the club from Thurrock in time to make his second debut in Saturday’s 2-0 home win over Enfield.

It takes AFC’s new signings up to six, with Sam Bantick (Concord Rangers), Rob Eagle (Lowestoft Town), Adam Tann (St Neots Town), Aaron Greene (unattached) and Callum Robinson (unattached) having already joined this summer.

Cowley, who was with Harlow Town during the 2014/15 campaign ahead of signing for Thurrock, said: “It’s good to be back at AFC, I had a great time when I was last here and didn’t really want to go then. I hope I can help the club achieve what they are trying to do”.

Manager Jamie Godbold said: “I am really pleased to have him involved with us. He was thorn in our side last season and I would rather have on our side than against us”.

Saturday’s 2-0 win over Enfield Town came courtesy of first goals from two of the club’s summer signings, Adam Tann and Aaron Greene, which were both scored in the first half.

It saw The Yellows record their first home win in the Ryman League Premier Division, following two 2-2 draws since promotion, and kept up their unbeaten start.

Ahead of travelling to Godbold’s former club, Lowestoft Town, tomorrow in a Suffolk derby (Monday, August 29 3pm), AFC are fourth in the table after five games with their opponents lying in 10th, following their 1-0 defeat at Havant & Waterlooville on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the club have also announced that young goalkeeper Callum Robinson, who was previously with Colchester United’s academy ahead of signing for AFC Sudbury in the summer, has signed dual registration terms with Thurlow Nunn League side Kirkley & Pakefield in order to get games while Marcus Garnham remains in possession of the number one shirt.

Elsewhere in the Ryman League, AFC’s divisional rivals Needham Market also kept up their unbeaten start to the campaign with a 1-0 win at Folkestone Invicta, with recent recruit Reece Dobson scoring the winner, as he did at Kingstonian (2-1) seven days previously, to leave the Marketmen seventh.

In Division One North, Bury Town are fifth are drawing 1-1 at home to Great Wakering Rovers with captain Bradley Barber’s 41st minute opener cancelled out by Tony Jacobs’ leveller 10 minutes after the re-start.

An Adam Mills strike on the stroke of half-time consigned Soham Town Rangers to a 1-0 defeat at Maldon & Tiptree, with The Greens second-from-bottom, only having a point from their opening three matches.

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