Niall Flint’s double sees AFC Sudbury fall to home defeat to Stourbridge and drop back into the relegation zone

AFC Sudbury’s worrying home form continued with a fine margins 2-1 defeat to Stourbridge which saw the Yellows fall back into the Pitching In Southern League Premier Central’s relegation zone.

Tricky winger Niall Flint proved to be their nemesis, following up his early 15th minute opener with a spectacular second 15 minutes from time to head off the comeback from Joe Neal’s 67th minute deflected strike.

The Yellows had enough chances to look back on but it was ultimately their defensive lapses which cost them, leaving Marc Abbott’s side back inside the bottom three and one point from safety with just one home win to their name this season.

James Philp continued in goal for the hosts with regular number one James Bradbrook having been granted another week’s paternity leave.

The only change from the line-up that impressively won 3-0 at Coalville Town on Tuesday was Ben Hunter starting ahead of Ollie Brown.

The Yellows, who were looking for a fourth win in five, took the game to the visitors who started one place above them in the table in 17th having played four less games. In a bright start Neal forced Charles Price into a comfortable early save from a free kick before Adam Mills drilled wide of the right post after being played in following a corner.

Romario Dunne saw his far header deflected wide at another corner.

But from Stourbridge’s first foray forward, in the 15th minute, they found AFC’s defence wanting to take the lead against the run of play.

A long kick from the goalkeeper was flicked on by an unmarked Benbow and Flint found himself in acres of space on the left before driving to the edge of the box and firing a low shot across Philp into the far corner.

It could have been two soon after when Flint was found in a dangerous position again but this time Philp was able to parry away.

Sudbury began to show some of the attacking fluency they had displayed earlier in the game with Dunne seeing an effort from a pull back to the edge of the box deflected wide by a strong tackle that left him floored.

Just before the half-hour mark Stourbridge had a penalty appeal waved away as Tom Dickens and Luke Benbow tangled in the area trying to get a header on a deep Reece King cross.

With 10 minutes of the half to play a half-cleared visitors’ corner came out to Flint outside the area but he sliced it well wide.

Sudbury went close to getting back on level terms in the 38th minute when Dunne and then Hunter were denied in quick succession by the feet of goalkeeper Price from a breakaway move with Joe Neal.

Flint got another sight of goal from a corner that was not properly cleared but his time dragged well wide of the near post with his weaker right foot.

Stourbridge were awarded a dangerous-looking free kick in stoppage time but it was fired straight into the wall.

Dunne drew a save from Price early in the second half from his shot on the run outside the area following some incisive passing.

At the other end Philp had to divert a dangerous cross away with his fingertips after Stourbridge played their way through the Yellows all too easily.

Sudbury upped their search for an equaliser with Neal unable to turn Dickens’ low cross on target while Joe Tarpey slid onto an inviting ball from Dunne at the far post that clipped the outside of the post on its way wide from six yards out.

The breakthrough for Abbott’s side finally came via a 67th minute corner, after Dunne had sent a near post touch on Hunter’s cross kept out desperately by Price. Neal played it short and received it back on the edge of the area before firing in a low shot that took a big deflection off Reece King to wrong-foot Price's dive.

Roared on by the home crowd, Neal soon worked himself another crack from the fringe of the area, but this time saw it come back off a defender.

But it was Stourbridge who regained the lead in the 76th minute through a familiar route to goal with the ball played into the feet of Flint who cut across the area before bending a perfect strike into the top left-hand corner.

Turner sent a free kick straight at Price as the Yellows looked to come from behind once again.

Five minutes of stoppage time saw AFC push further forward with a Mills cross whizzing across the six-yard box before a defender touched it behind and the Yellows unable to threaten from the corner.

Dickens flicked a late ball forward from Philp into the penalty area but Price was able to get to it ahead of Neal.

In one final chance, Hunter managed to find Dunne who ran across the fringe of the area to work some room but his shot went straight at the keeper ahead of the final whistle blowing on another home defeat.

The victory for the visitors saw them jump up to a mid-table 13th.

AFC Sudbury: Philp, Tarpey (Marshall 71’), Oluwatimilehin, Lewis, Dickens, Turner (cpt), Hunter, Neal, Napa, Mills, Dunne.

Unused subs: Brown, Cousens, Bampoe, Walsh.

Booked: Oluwatimilehin (45+2’), Dickens (64’)

Stourbridge: Price, ShShambrook, Wilson, Prosser, Kettle, Bavanganga, Dowd (Daniels 62’), King (cpt), Benbow (Steward 79’), Fletcher, Flint.

Unused subs: Knights, Walters, Bood.

Booked: Fletcher (63’),

Attendance: 265.

SuffolkNews Man of the Match: Romario Dunne certainly put a shift in for his side and was at the heart of their most dangerous moments.