HALSTEAD Town fell to a 3-2 home defeat to AFC Sudbury Reserves in Thurlow Nunn League first division south, writes KEN GILLIARD.

This hastily-arranged Friday night game was played with a constant drizzle and in very heavy ground.

But after the original game was postponed on Tuesday night, the home groundsman has to be applauded for getting the game on in the first place.

Halstead went into the match in third place and desperate for a win to maintain their bid for a play-off place.

Sudbury were in the bottom half but were the form side having won both their previous two games, including thumping seven passed Park View.

Halstead won the reverse fixture 6-2 earlier in the season but only two of the scorers on that day featured in the squad for this match, Joe Thomas and Jordan Backwell.

The hosts came into the match after a poor performance and defeat at Newbury Forest last time out.

The crowd would have turned up in hope rather than expectation as the cold and wet conditions were not ideal but both sides put on a battling and enthralling contest which Halstead lost despite playing some great football at times, but simply didn’t take their chances and Sudbury did.

The opening ten minutes saw Halstead with the bulk of the possession and they were first to threaten but were narrowly off target and within minutes paid the penalty, as Fred Ambrose pounced after the hosts failed to clear their lines and gave the visitors the lead.

The Humbugs looked to get back on terms immediately and were thwarted by a series of fantastic saves by Glyn Dixon in the Sudbury goal.

Firstly, he denied Jordan Pavett with a sensational one-handed save, followed quickly with saves with his legs from Adam Hampson and Pavett again.

It seemed that Halstead were not going to make Sudbury pay for the pressure but with half-time approaching they finally got back on level terms.

Jordan Blackwell did well down the right and his cross found Alfie Cleal who calmly slotted the ball passed Dixon.

Equality didn’t, however, last long as Sudbury went straight up the other end and earned themselves a penalty which Luke Hiskin dutifully dispatched.

Halstead still had time to launch another attack before the break and Blackwell struck the upright so it meant that the visitors went in with a one goal advantage albeit against the run of play.

If the hosts' half-time team-talk was to get back on level terms quickly then it didn’t work as Sudbury were out of the blocks quickest and extended their lead when Billy Walsh made it 3-1 with just four minutes of the second period gone.

Halstead continued to play football, as best they could in difficult conditions, as they looked to get themselves back into the game, but chances were few and far between.

They did reduce the arrears on the hour mark when Blackwell made it 3-2 and set up the match for a nervy finish.

The remainder of the match saw Halstead in possession and pushing for an equaliser but Sudbury were not only resolute in defence but also dangerous on the break.

And whilst the game was exciting and kept the crowd enthralled, there were no real goal attempts to talk about.

The whistle went with Sudbury still one goal to the good and therefore putting a real dent in the hosts push for a play-off place.

Next up for the Humbugs is a visit from Hackney Wick and they will need to get back to winning ways to keep their play-off place ambitions alive.

Halstead Town: Sam Kendle, Ryan Carter, Matt Travel, Garry Burdett, Jack Schelvis, Alfie Cleal, Joe Thomas, Adam Hampson, Jordan Pavett, Jordan Blackwell, Jordan Palmer.

Subs: Mark Dallinger, Nick Miller, Louis O’Sullivan, Greg Strong.