For the fourth time in five seasons the Crows exited the FA Cup at the first hurdle, as a young AFC Sudbury team deservedly booked their place in the next round.

In contrast to the rest of the game, Royston started brightly, with Bradley Bell forcing a good low save out of home custodian Paul Walker with less than a minute played. Despite the positive early start, Royston were unable to build on this and it was Sudbury who took the lead in the 17^th minute. A despairing lunge from Jordan Norville-Williams saw him bring down a Sudbury forward and Callum Harrison easily despatched the resulting penalty, past the returning Joe Welch in the Crows goal.

At this point Royston were struggling to get any control in midfield as the youthful Sudbury side harried and pressed to good effect. With no chances being created it was a surprise when Royston equalised, just after the half hour mark, as Chris Assombalonga latched onto a long ball over the top and finished past Walker, as the home defence claimed, in vain, for an offside.

Just 6 minutes later Royston, and in particular James Potton, thought that they had taken the lead, but Walker produced an outstanding low save down to his left, to push Potton’s downward angled header, up and over the bar at the expense of a corner. The resultant corner was well delivered but Potton couldn’t keep his volley below the crossbar.

With Royston just starting to look threatening, AFC were able to re-take the lead prior to half-time, as Joe Wright’s free kick was curled up and over the wall, after Dan Brathwaite had conceded a free kick on the edge of his own penalty box, to give the home side a one goal advantage going into the break.

With the second half kicking off, the away support were hoping for the Crows to impose themselves on the game and hopefully turn the score around, but the home side were in no mood to let this happen. With Royston still struggling to make any attacking inroads, Steve Castle made an early 2^nd half substitution and this paid an immediate dividend. With home goalkeeper and defender leaving the ball for each other to deal with, Vance Bola was able to capitalise on the hesitancy and finish well from a tight angle with his first touches of the game.

Sudbury’s response to losing the lead for a second time was once again positive, as they continued to probe at the Royston defence. Their reward, and the tie winning goal, arrived in the 65^th minute as Paul Hayes collected Adam Murray’s defensive header and had a generous amount of time and space afforded him, allowing him to chip over Welch into the back of the net.

Although the anticipated Royston onslaught never materialised the Crows did have a few chances to earn a replay, with Bola placing a low stooping header wide from inside the 6-yard box and Assombalonga seeing another header just clear the upright. Bola also saw a shot well gathered by Walker and then a fierce drive well blocked by Tyler French.

Without being able to dominate possession, the away side were unable to maintain any sustained pressure on the home goal and it was Sudbury who finished the better and looked the more likely to score again. Indeed, late on, only an outstanding double save from Welch, with the first stop from a deflected shot being particularly memorable, prevented Sudbury increasing the margin of victory.

A disappointing afternoon for Royston, who were never able to string any meaningful possession together against their lower league opponents, who deservedly took their place in the next round, being rewarded with an away tie against Bognor Regis Town.

Royston: 1-Welch, 2-Ellesley, 3-Norvile-Wiliams, 4-Mentis, 5-Murray, 6-Brathwaite © (18-O’Keefe 46), 7-Bell (14-Bola 54), 8-Powell, 9-Assombalonga, 10-Potton (12-Gordon 59), 11-Corcoran

Unused: 15-Alomenu, 16-Dhillon, 19-Castiglione, GK-Smart

Crows MOM: Vance Bola