VALLEY SUFFERED PENALTY SHOOTOUT HEARTBREAK IN THE FA TROPHY for the second season running after dominating this entertaining contest in Suffolk.
Two in-form teams came head to head to serve up a closely fought encounter that saw The Millers create the greater opportunities in front of goal only to be denied by a superb performance from Suds goalkeeper Alfie Stronge.
With Nat Blanks and Paul Semakula returning to the starting line-up, Valley were forced to make a late change as Hassan Ibrahiym was forced to pull out after suffering a head injury en-route to Sudbury. Jack Sammoutis was recalled as a replacement.
After a cagey opening period with the hosts looking to apply a high tempo pressing game on Millers possession, the visitors began to apply increasing pressure on Stronge’s goal. Firstly Blanks had a fierce 25 yard effort pushed away for a corner, before Sammoutis’ flag kick was flicked on by Rory Hill to Connor Dymond whose header was scrambled clear.
With Sammoutis dominating play in midfield with an array of tidy flicks and nudges, Matt Warren was next to go close – his left footed effort from the edge of the penalty area nestling in Stronge’s arms.
A succession of efforts from Warren, Sammoutis and Hill called Stronge into action before the best chance of the first half fell to Hill five minutes before the interval.
Sammoutis’ left side corner was headed into the middle by Nathan Green to Hill, whose low header from six yards out was excellently kept out at close range by ……..yes, you’ve guessed it.
Despite Millers’ dominance, Sudbury still kept the Valley defence honest with a series of efforts that largely left Chris Lewington untroubled in goal.
Indeed, Lewington was forced into action seconds after the half time restart as excellent interplay by Suds in the middle of the park saw George Keys’ effort tipped over the bar for a corner.
And just before the hour mark, Cruis Nyadzayo turned Blanks wide on the right before firing across a vacant six yard box.
With Sudbury making three substitutions in the space of six minutes – Millers for their part replacing Hill with Gavin Tomlin – leading scorer Romario Dunne suffered a sickening knee injury in the Millers’ penalty area just after coming on, leaving the hosts with ten men to complete the contest.
Following a five minute break in play, a strong run by Sammoutis – evading an attempted trip by Joe Grimwood – saw him play the ball into the path of Tomlin 25 yards out. After taking the ball on, Tomlin’s shot flew harmlessly over the bar.
And with ten minutes of the ninety remaining on the clock, Valley had strong claims for a penalty turned down as Marcel Barrington appeared to be pushed from behind in the penalty area after good work by Warren and Tomlin.
With the clock now ticking down, Denzel Gayle replaced the excellent Paul Semakula as the visitors looked for a winner against their ten man hosts.
And within minutes, Gayle’s run down the left fed Green whose cross was headed just over the bar by Barrington from six yards…..surely the best chance of the match spurned by a man with six goals to his name already this season.
This seemed to spur Sudbury into life in the dying minutes however as Reece Harris crossed for Marley Andrews to fire over Lewington’s crossbar, before Harris himself fired narrowly wide of the post.

And so the tie moved to a penalty shootout, with Harris equalising Green’s opening spotkick before successive misses by Tomlin and Dymond handed the advantage to the hosts.
Barrington fired home to keep The Millers in the tie before Lewington saved from Jake Turner to give the visitors hope.
Gayle’s final penalty was saved low down by Stronge to propel AFC Sudbury into the next round but Kevin Watson’s side can be proud of a performance that bodes well for the upcoming league campaign.

MILLERS’ STAR MAN: – JACK SAMMOUTIS – Excellent midfield display full of creativity and endeavour by a man called into the team at the last minute

MATCH RATING: - *****

SUDS : Stronge, Keys, Girling, Turner, Grimwood, O’Malley, Hipkin (Harris 68), Frimpong, Nyadzayo (Andrews 62), Gilchrist (Romario Dunne 62), Maycock
Substitutes Not used: Ryan Dunne, Smith
Cautions: Grimwood, Maycock

MILLERS : Lewington, Dymond, Green, Semakula (Gayle 87), Blanks ©, Tumkaya, Sammoutis, Barrington, Babalola, Warren, Hill (Tomlin 68)
Not used : Ibrahiym, Salmon, Beerling

Referee : Aaron Farmer
Assistants : Edward Frazer, Adam Everett

Main Pic – An excellent performance from young Suds keeper Alfie Stronge kept The Millers at bay in Suffolk

Match photos by Michael Brown - @BSportsphotos

Chris Lewington saves during the penalty shoot out