Manager proud of Walsham-le-Willows players after their defeat to AFC Sudbury in the Suffolk FA Under-18 Midweek Cup at Ipswich Town

Pride was the overwhelming emotion for manager Alan Harris after his Walsham-le-Willows side were beaten 4-1 by AFC Sudbury in the Suffolk FA Under-18 Midweek Cup final at Portman Road last Thursday.

Walsham headed into the game having recently been crowned Thurlow Nunn League Central Division champions, yet they were still regarded as big underdogs against their experienced opponents.

That is because they were up against a Sudbury age group team who are not only used to sweeping aside most of what is put before them, but also a starting line-up that had accumulated a combined 142 appearances in the Bostik League North Division this term.

Nevertheless, a spirited Walsham certainly put the cat among the pigeons by taking a sixth-minute lead at the home of Ipswich Town through midfielder Jack Spampantao’s dipping shot from distance.

Sudbury left-back Ross Crane equalised six minutes later when he fired inside the far post from a narrow angle, but rather than open the floodgates, Walsham – and in particular their impressive goalkeeper Dan Stobbart – stood firm.

However, after smart saves to thwart Adam Hanson, Oliver Gravett and Tom Maycock, the resistance was broken not once but twice in first-half stoppage time.

Attacking midfielder Isaac Skubich was the scorer on both occasions – the first a low shot from the edge of the box while his second was a volley that proved too powerful for Stobbart, whose brother Will had earlier struck the crossbar.

The game was up five minutes after the restart when Gravett turned the ball home from close range, but Walsham stuck to their task throughout and did well to snuff out any chance of a rout.

After the final whistle Harris said: “I think our goal shocked them a little bit and let them know they were in a game.

“I am very proud of every single one of the lads, especially because we only had a small squad here because of injuries.

“Maybe at times we were a little bit in awe of the situation, but overall I can have no complaints with how we played.

“We have won the league and got to two cup finals, it has been unbelievable. When we started the season we could never believed that we would have a game like this at Portman Road.

“That is the credit to the lads and they should be really proud of their achievements this year.”

Walsham will take on Sudbury again tonight at Diss Town FC’s Brewers Green Lane ground in the Thurlow Nunn Youth League Championship final (7.30pm).

Walsham: D Stobbart, Browne, Asker, Waterson, Hubbard, Dixon, W Stobbart, Spampanato, Mower, Whitby, Glover. Subs: Harris, Roberts, McKeown, Stiff.

Attendance: 471. Express Man of the Match: Dan Stobbart