OVERVIEW

THE Blues U23s host Sudbury Sports this Saturday afternoon at the Flannery Stadium in the JLS Catering Group Suffolk Senior Cup third round, writes Craig Cooper.

It will be a welcome break from the league after back-to-back losses against Halesworth Town and Long Melford respectively.

On the way to the third round, the U23s beat Long Melford 2-0 at home (Mackenzie Travis and Krysztof Michta on target) in round one before defeating Sporting '87 in round two (Travis and Jack McLeavy the scorers). Meanwhile, Sudbury Sports beat Kirkley & Pakefield Reserves 6-2 away from home in round two of the competition.

This will be a first-ever meeting between the two sides.

Sudbury Sports play in the Essex and Border League and currently sit in 4th place (out of 15 teams). They have won eight and lost four league games so far, picking up 24 points.

Blues U23s boss Neil Smye said ahead of the game: “I thought we played well against Halesworth and I must say Halesworth are a decent side. How we didn’t score I don’t know but it’s one of those things. The chances that we missed, we should have scored some of them. We gave away some bad goals but we didn’t do well enough and I have no qualms with the result. I actually enjoyed the game.

“We were poor against Long Melford. The game was awful as a spectacle if I’m being honest and there wasn’t many chances for either sides.

“Saturday’s game is a hard tie. Although we are a Step higher in the football pyramid, Sudbury are probably the favourites at this moment in time to go through, especially on current form.”

Speaking of previous years in the Suffolk Senior Cup, Smye added: - “We have had some good performances in the last few years. We want to keep that going."

Indeed, the U23s have had good memories in the Suffolk Senior Cup in recent years.

After going out at the first hurdle on the first three seasons as a second string side, the Blues (the Reserves) beat Henley Athletic on penalties in the first round of the competition on Saturday 14th October, 2017.

Armani Schaar netted the Blues goal late on to level the game at 1-1 before Paul Bugg’s team went on to win on penalties. However, after winning two more games that season, it was deemed that the side had played an ineligible player and did not participate in the semi-final.

But the team have reached the final twice in the last four seasons in recent times. In the 2021/2022 campaign, Ryan Honeyman led the team to wins over Kirkley & Pakefield Reserves (6-2, H), Bildeston Rangers (4-4, A, won 4-3 on pens), Beccles Town (3-1, H) and East Bergholt United (2-2, won 3-1 on pens) before losing 1-0 to Ipswich Wanderers in the final at Colchester United.

After going out at home to East Bergholt United in the first round the following season, Smye’s team won through to the final at Portman Road in 2024.

The U23s defeated Brandon Town and Claydon by score lines of 2-1 at home in successive weeks in October, before beating Haughley United 4-1 at home in early February to make the semi-finals. They won on penalties at Lowestoft Town against Bungay Town after the game finished 1-1 after Travis had put the U23s ahead.

But the Blues went down to Trimley Red Devils, who won the competition again last season.

NOVEMBER FOR THE U23s

Sat 1st Nov: - Whittlesey Athletic (H)
Sat 8th Nov: - Holland (H)
Sat 15th Nov: - Framlingham Town (A)
Sat 22nd Nov: - Wroxham Reserves (H)
Sat 29th Nov: - Haverhill Borough (A)

MATCH INFORMATION
Blues U23s v Sudbury Sports
JLS Catering Group Suffolk Senior Cup third round
Saturday, October 25, 3pm kick off
Flannery Stadium, Victory Road, LTAA, Leiston, Suffolk, IP16 4DQ
Tel: - 01728 830308.

Admission Prices:- Adults £7, Concessions (over 65s) £4, Students (with ID) £3, U16s FOC.