AFC SUDBURY 6 HALSTEAD TOWN 0

FA CUP first qualifying round

IT had been a wonderful adventure, but Halstead Town’s FA Cup journey came to a halt at the home of their local rivals with a 6-0 first qualifying round defeat by AFC Sudbury.

Halstead had twice pulled off heroics against higher-placed opponents to advance as far as they had, but their Ryman League premier division neighbours proved one step too far.

Sadly for the Humbugs, the three-league gulf between the two clubs was evident in a half-time scoreline that saw them trailing 3-0, with Sudbury adding another three after the break and striker Luke Callander netting four on the day.

Sudbury dominated from the first minute and had a clinical edge up front that the Halstead defence just weren’t able to live with and it took several wonderful saves from Town keeper Joe Fowler to keep the deficit down to what it actually was.

The hosts started on the front foot in the early minutes, looking to use the blustery wind that was on their backs and to take the game away from their visitors in the early stages.

It saw the Humbugs pressed into deep defensive positions on the edge of their own box and with Sudbury using the flanks well, it took some good clearances to keep it deadlocked in the opening minutes.

That wasn’t to last though as in the tenth minute, A ball over the top of the Halstead back line was gathered by Callander and he lobbed it over the advancing Joe Fowler and into the net.

Halstead responded well, though, and kept going forward when they did get possession and a great cross from Marcus Warren was inches away from a meaningful connection by the head of striker Sam Cripps.

The Halstead striker looked the most likely source of a goal for the visitors and his movement up front asked more than a few questions of the hosts’ defence.

However, it was still the Town back line that remained the busier of the two.

Sudbury came within a whisker of doubling their advantage in the 36th minute when Sam Bantick shot from close range and only an excellent block from Joe Fowler denied the home midfielder.

The ball was cleared down the other end, but Bantick wasn’t to be denied for long.

Within 60 seconds, he broke down the right before cutting inside with the Halstead defence stretched and although Fowler made a good initial save again, the loose ball fell back to Bantick and he tucked it away for a two-goal lead.

And it was 3-0 before the break as Rob Eagle pulled the ball back from the byline in the 41st minute for Callander, who was in the right place, to drill the ball into the roof of the visitors’ net.

With a three-goal lead behind them, the home side finished the half even stronger as Fowler had to make a superb reaction save from a fierce effort by Ryan Henshaw from a corner.

It meant it stayed 3-0 at the break, but that was 4-0 within 40 seconds of the restart when Callander headed in from close range to complete his hat-trick.

The experienced striker then added his fourth of the afternoon when he showed strength to break clear of several challenges and tuck the ball away in the 53rd minute.

Callander was one of three players to make way when Sudbury made a triple substitution but one of those coming in – Jordan Blackwell – scored with his first touch to make it 6-0.

The game may have been well gone, but Halstead weren’t done and a Cripps header was agonisingly over the bar as he connected with another lovely cross from Warren and home keeper Marcus Garnham had to be alert to tip over from Jordan Hutchings’ looping effort.

However, Sudbury were comfortable with their big margin and saw the game out with ease as they cruised into the next round.

Halstead Town: Joe Fowler, Nick Wilderspin (Charlie Pleace 64), Lee Hurkett (Matt Crick 45), Ricky Spriggs, Lewis Cunliffe, Julian Simon-Parson, Jake Brown, Sam Cripps, Joe O’Hare (James Murray 45), Marcus Warren.

Subs not used: Tom Cook, Pete Davies, Tom Williamson.