AFC Sudbury boss Rick Andrews feels pressure is on Hashtag United more ahead of key title clash

Despite AFC Sudbury heading into Saturday’s top-of-the-table clash with Hashtag United trailing their hosts by four points, it is very much a case of ‘keep calm and carry on’ in their manager’s eyes.

Rick Andrews’ side relinquished their lead of the Pitching In Isthmian League North Division’s sole automatic promotion spot after conceding a last-gasp stoppage-time goal to draw 2-2 at home to play-off chasing Heybridge Swifts on Saturday.

Nnamdi Nwachuku’s fifth-minute opener for his 34th goal of the season was cancelled out by an Ollie Brown own goal nine minutes before the break.

Harrison Chatting’s 51st-minute strike had put them 2-1 up before Rob Harvey’s 92nd-minute header deprived them of all three points.

Hashtag then increased the gap to four points by holding on to record a 2-1 victory at Coggeshall Town on Tuesday for what was their 17th straight win since losing 4-2 in Sudbury in early November.

But with a game in hand to come, after being in county cup action themselves, Andrews will take his side to Bowers & Pitsea’s 3G Len Salmon Stadium on Saturday (3pm) with the message that it is still theirs to lose.

“To concede in literally the last 30 seconds of the game (on Saturday) is a bit of a kick in the stomach but in truth nothing changes for us,” he said.

“If we win all our games we win the league, and I still believe there will be some twists and turns along the way.

“Hashtag have got some difficult games but they’re on this incredible run and what we need to do is make sure we keep picking our points up so that maintains pressure their end.”

He added: “Regardless of our result Saturday I didn’t think this Saturday’s game will be defining as there is still some tough games and obstacles in the way to get over.

“We’re where we’re at, we’ve had a fantastic season, we’ll continue to have a fantastic season and I think if we picked up another four or five wins we’re guaranteed second, at worst, which gives you home advantage in the play-offs, which we would ask for.

“But we’ve already exceeded last year’s points total with 11 games left so that’s testament to how well we’ve done.

“There’s no drama our end, we know win your next 11 games and you win the league for sure.”

And despite the significance of the game this weekend he believes it is just a case of sticking to what they do best rather than making any special plans.

He said: “We will go there like we have done every game this season and that is going out to try and win a game of football.

“I think if you start over-thinking it or start to change formations to be clever sometimes that can go against you.”

He also feels the pressure is very much on Spencer Owen’s YouTube sensation side than themselves ahead of kick-off.

“We’re looking forward to Saturday,” he said.

“I don’t think it’s a game they will particularly be looking forward to.

“We have demonstrated coming from two goals down to score four past them in the space of about 12 minutes or so what kind of threat we carry.

“We’ve only increased that threat with a couple of players we’ve signed in the last couple of months.”

He revealed captain Reece Harris was withdrawn in the 33rd minute of Saturday’s game as a precautionary measure for a tight muscle. But after being rested on Tuesday he is hopeful he will be fit for the trip to Pitsea, which lies just outside of Basildon.

Grimwood brings up 150

Despite being just 21, Saturday’s game saw centre-back Joe Grimwood make his 150th senior appearance for the club.

Andrews said: "It's very good. He's a young lad learning his trade.

"He won all the trophies last year and has been a solid campaigner and he's continuing to grow into the position so I'm sure he's got a healthy future with us."

The academy graduate had the captain's armband for the second half of last season but his manager believes it has proved to be the right decision to unburden him from that.

"Yes, it was definitely the right decision," he said.

"We brought a lot of senior players in and the boy's 21, so for him to play 150 senior games at that level already it's a testament to him."

Young AFC side through to last eight

Four first-year academy players were handed their senior debuts as AFC Sudbury booked their place in the Endeavour Automotive Suffolk Premier Cup quarter-finals at Mildenhall Town on Tuesday.

A 26th-minute near-post strike from Josh Mayhew proved to be the difference in a 1-0 victory in the second round contest at the lower-league side.

Goalkeeper David Hughes and centre-back Joshua Pollard were the only survivors from the side which started Saturday’s 2-2 league draw.

First-year scholars Brodie (Thomas) Henrici-Fernandez and Joe Coburn – who have both featured regularly for the 11th-placed Sudbury Sports side in the Essex & Suffolk Border League Premier Division – were handed full debuts along with former Newcastle United Under-18s winger Deese Kasinga.

Sports team-mates Luca Terminello and Max Browsden also got their first taste of senior action from the bench in a side captained by Jake Tuner.