AFC Sudbury complete superb comeback against Hashtag United as Josh Stokes and Lionel Ainsworth guide them to victory

Four second half goals saw AFC Sudbury complete a stunning turnaround to seal the three points at home to Hashtag United.

It looked a long way back for the Yellows at half-time but a delightful Lionel Ainsworth volley kick-started the comeback, before goals from Josh Stokes, Harrison Chatting and Nnamdi Nwachuku rounded off the win.

Moments of individual quality made the difference. Winger Josh Stokes was involved in three of the goals in a man of the match display in front of a 440 strong crowd.

Rick Andrews named an unchanged starting line-up from the weekend's 5-1 win away at Wroxham, where Nwachuku registered an impressive hat-trick.

Hashtag manager Jay Devereux also stuck to the same starting eleven that saw them win against Lowestoft, and it was they who started the brighter of the two sides.

The visitors were the first side to force a chance at goal in the third minute, but Pedro Carvalho’s effort could only find the side netting.

Hashtag arguably should have been ahead in the ninth minute, had it not been for a superb goal line clearance from Sudbury.

The away side then took the lead just seconds later. A sustained bit of pressure saw the Tags find the opportunity to feed a looping ball into the box, where captain Max Cornhill was on the receiving end to poke home.

Sudbury should have equalised almost immediately after through Nnamdi Nwachuku, but he saw his header saved by James Philp.

Another chance to equalise quickly followed. Ben Hunter cut-back onto his left foot on the edge of the area, but his curling effort went just wide of the post.

The Yellows battled back in what was a tight first-half affair. Josh Stokes, who was the hosts’ main threat in the first half, had the opportunity to test Philp, but his skewed effort failed to test the Hashtag ‘keeper.

However, the Tags then doubled their lead in the 36th minute. A long-throw into the box found the head of Thomas Anderson, whose effort trickled into the back of the net.

Stokes was the catalyst for Sudbury just before the end of the first half firing an effort towards the Hashtag goal, but his effort was easily dealt with by the visiting goalkeeper.

After a steady opening 10 minutes to the second half, the tides soon turned at The MEL Group Stadium.

Sudbury continued to try and utilise Stokes down the right-hand side, and it would soon be the 18-year-old who was called into action.

The hosts had opportunity in the 55th minute to claw one back. Reece Harris swung a ball into the box which found Nwachuku, who was adjudged to have handled the ball.

However, their opening goal for the night soon followed in the 57th minute through Lionel Ainsworth. Stokes was involved once again, as a cross from the number seven found the former Motherwell forward, who timed an exquisite volley to perfection and found the top corner.

Buoyed with confidence, the Yellows equalised just moments later through the man of the night Josh Stokes. The 18-year-old showed his quality to turn inside the box to fire a ferocious effort into the top corner to make it all square.

It was the boost that the home side needed, as Hashtag looked shell-shocked by the turn of events.

Sudbury continued to press, and in the 66th minute they completed the turnaround to send the home crowd into raptures.

Another cross from Stokes this time found Harrison Chatting at the back post, whose scrambled effort made its way into the empty net.

The hosts comfortably saw the game out from there, dominating large parts of possession as they searched for a fourth.

Nwachuku then made it four for the Yellows with a finish into the bottom corner six minutes from time. It had been a quiet night for the striker, but the forward showed his quality to seal the three points.

The visitors did have one more chance in injury time, but a long-range volley was palmed away by David Hughes.

Sudbury will be pleased with how they turned the game around in the second half, with a number of players chipping into help fight back. Hashtag could have run away with it, but a dominant second half display showed the Yellows are not to be feared.

SuffolkNews Man of the Match: Josh Stokes - Lionel Ainsworth sparked the comeback, but Stokes was the catalyst throughout the night. He proved a constant threat down the right, terrorising the Hashtag left-back.