FA VASE SOCCER: Favourites AFC Sudbury have it all to do to reach the final of the FA Carlsberg Vase. They will go into this Saturday's semi-final, second leg against fellow Jewson League side Tiptree United with a 2-0 disadvantage.

FAVOURITES AFC Sudbury have it all to do to reach the final of the FA Carlsberg Vase.

They will go into this Saturday's semi-final, second leg against fellow Jewson League side Tiptree United with a 2-0 disadvantage.

The game turned on a couple of key incidents midway through the first half. First Sudbury keeper Ben Nower was pole-axed by a clumsy challenge by one of Tiptree's new arrivals, Colin Wall.

When play eventually restarted after his lengthy treatment the bad feeling spilled over and Sudbury's midfield battler Aaron Gardiner was shown the red card, presumably for an elbow, for an incident near the centre circle.

Until then Sudbury had the majority of the play without being able to convert several good chances and the game had been an untidy affair with too many scruffy challenges.

The best chance of the first half came to Andrew Claydon. Defenders Phil Battell and Wayne Houghton didn't deal with a through ball and the speedy Claydon was on to it.

Haygreen was off his line to block his effort and it bounced across the six-yard box with no-one following up to tap in.

Tiptree took the lead after 50 minutes, a goal that was made by a fine left wing cross by David Barefield, who checked back inside Howlett and crossed to the far post. It looked an untidy header by Daly, but it was enough despite the efforts of defenders on the line.

Sudbury made three substitutions after 65 minutes, taking off Bennett, Claydon and R Devereux and sending on Sam Banya, Brian Devereux and Lee Owen.

Tiptree increased their lead with ten minutes to go. Battell went down the right and his cross went across to the left wing where Wareham was the spare man in acres of space. He struck a bending shot into the far corner of the goal.

When Howlett when down clutching his knee after another strong tackle, and had to be stretchered off, Sudbury were down to nine men.

In injury time Devereux saw a shot blocked, but Sudbury had never really looked like scoring.

It was a performance of tremendous character by Tiptree and their manager Neil Farlie was delighted.

He said: "It was a tremendous result. We have been underdogs all the way in the Vase. Sudbury are a great side and I don't think anybody expected us to win here."

Sudbury boss Keith Martin said: "Some of my lads let me down. We have just got to bounce back on the day. It didn't help playing with ten men that's for sure. I took three off to liven it up and they scored their second against the run of play.

"Football has a funny way of kicking you in the teeth, it did that today. We have got to get over it and go there and do a job now. It is half time and we have got to come back from it."

Teams

Sudbury: Nower, Rayner, Bishop, Tracey, Howlett, R Devereux (Owen 66 mins), Cheetham, Gardiner, Bennett (Banya 66 mins), Claydon (B Devereux 66 mins), Betson.

Tiptree: Haygreen, Battell, Ford (Mackrory 86 mins), Houghton, Fish, Brady (Streetley 64 mins), Wareham, Daley, Barefield (Powell 89 mins), Wall, Gillespie.

Referee: Andy Woolmer (Northampton).

Attendance: 1,342