Match Preview | AFC Sudbury (H)
Halesowen face bottom Sudbury as the Yeltz look for a win to have a chance at finishing in the play-offs yet again
Head to Head
There have been five meetings between the two sides, and as a potential good omen, the Yeltz are yet to lose. The two home fixtures have seen two wins, while the three away games have seen three draws. Seems to be a theme going on here.
The most recent meeting came at The Elite Travel Stadium back in December, and to put it simply it finished 5-5. The Yeltz came from 2-0 & 4-2 down, as Ty Barnett scored what was then his first goal for the club in the eighth minute of stoppage time to complete the 10 goal spectacle.
Russ Penn’s Thoughts
“For any fan to have something to play for on the final day of the season, it’s where you want to be. Ok it’s better to already be champions or in the play-offs, but we still have something to achieve and a big reason to win. I was disappointed to come away with just the point in a game we had to win last Saturday. Kettering going down to 10 men probably didn’t help us in a weird way. We dominated the game, without any real big chances which was annoying, but it was all us in terms of possession and with regard to the play percentage wise in their half.
“I expect this Sudbury team to come here with no fear, and to thrive on the big crowd we will generate. They have been relegated, but it will still be a very dangerous game for us. We have to expect the unexpected, and educate ourselves on Sudbury. When you have lost the amount of games they have, the manager may change tactics and look for different ways each match to try and get the wins. The game against them in December was almost like a circus. A 5-5 draw where we looked like scoring at every opportunity, but unfortunately so did they. When we look back on points we have dropped, that is one that sticks out. A comical game that with 20 minutes to go at the time I knew would finish the way it did, because I didn’t trust either defense.
“We must prepare really well, and do our due diligence like we always do. The lads and I know we have to win the game, and rely on other results, but the most important thing is to do our job, and in doing that put on a good performance. Simply put, our season will either end today, or be extended by another week or so. There is still plenty to play for, players are playing for contracts whether with us or elsewhere, and we have players like Jason Cowley who want to end the season with more goals. When I look back on the previous 41 league games, consistency definitely sticks out as the killer blow if we don’t make it into the top 5 come the end of the afternoon. We are the third highest scorers in the division for a reason. We are a free flowing attacking side who have put 80 goals in the back of the net over 41 matches. 15 more than we scored in 42 games last season. Unfortunately, we haven’t kept the back door shut anywhere near enough, because if we had, our play-off spot would have already been guaranteed. I am not shy to say that we have missed Ryan Wynter. He hasn’t been replaced, and what I have to learn is how well we recruit going forward. I know we will be cheered on by a huge crowd this afternoon, there will be no phones on the bench, because we will already know what the scores are based on the atmosphere around the ground. I have seen many twists and tales on the final day of the season, and we want to be on the good side of that with you all.”
Opposition Preview
Liam Coyne – Goalkeeper
The 19 year old joined at the start of last month from League One side Luton Town. The shotstopper featured in eight Premier League Cup games since the start of last season for Luton. Since arriving at the Suds, Coyne has made three league appearances, all of which starts.
Jack Munson – Goalkeeper
The 19 year old is a product of Sudbury’s well respected academy side and one of many to come out of the system since their promotion to step 3. Munson has been an almost ever present for the side in 2026, having made 15 league appearances this season, all of which starts.
Ellis Lawson – Left Back
The 20 year old signed in November from step 4 Hayes & Yeading United. The fullback made five league appearances on loan at step 5 Barking last season, but not one for Hayes & Yeading. Lawson who can also play in the midfield has featured 21 times for Sudbury in the league this season, 11 of which in the starting XI.
Charlie Lewis – Centre Back
The 28 year old signed in the summer of 2023 from step 4 St Neots Town. The centre half featured in 36 of Sudbury’s 42 league games last season. The Suds vice captain has featured 38 times this league season, all of which starts.
Ollie Okeh – Centre Back
The 19 year old came through the Suds academy in the summer of 2024, and proceeded to play one league match last season off the bench. The centre half has made nine league appearances this season, all one of which in the XI.
Skye Salmon – Centre Back
The 21 year old signed in November from step 3 side Potters Bar Town. The centre half featured 23 times last season for step 4 Herne Bay. This season, Salmon made two league appearances for Potters Bar & one for step 4 Walthamstow, before arriving at Sudbury, where he has made 13 league appearances, 8 of which in the starting XI.
Jacob Goredema – Right Back
The 18 year old came through the Suds academy in the summer of 2024, and made nine league appearances last season. The fullback has been more integral to the Suds season, having made 33 league appearances this campaign, 27 of which in the starting XI.
Tom Dettmar – Central Midfielder
The 26 year old came through the Suds academy all the way back in 2016. The centre midfielder had a long time away from football after an ACL injury in 2021, but returned this season, and has featured in 28 league games this season, half of which in the XI.
Charlie George – Central Midfielder
The 18 year old came through the Suds academy earlier this year, and has made two league appearances this season, one of which in the XI.
Jake Turner – Central Midfielder
The 34 year old signed in the summer of 2021 from then step 4 side Coggeshall Town. The midfielder featured 36 times in the league last season. The club captain who is set to retire from football after this weekend’s game has featured 37 times this season, all of which starts.
Fin Corrigan – Attacking Midfielder
The 21 year old signed in September from Kettering Town. The former Ipswich Town and Dundee FC academy man featured eight times for Lowland League Scottish fifth tier side Broomhill last season on loan from Dundee, before joining Kettering this summer and making three league appearances. Corrigan has featured 32 times for Sudbury, 28 of which in the starting XI.
T’Aizo Marcel-Dilaver – Attacking Midfielder
The 20 year old signed at the end of last month from step 3 side Bracknell Town. The attacking midfielder made two league appearances for step 4 Walthamstow & two for step 5 Snodland Town last season. The former Colchester United academy man made one league appearance for Bracknell, before arriving at Sudbury, where he has made four league appearances, one of which in the XI.
Sam Cox – Left Winger
The 19 year old came through the Suds academy in the summer of 2024, and made six league appearances last season. The winger has nine times in the league this season, all but two of which off the bench.
Kyran Clements – Striker
The 28 year old signed in the summer from Leiston. The striker who can also fill in at centre half scored eight goals and missed just one league game in the entirety of last season for the Blues. This season, Clements has scored once in 19 league games, all of which starts.
Kaidon Tower-King – Striker
The 20 year old came through the Suds academy in the summer of 2024, but only managed two substitute appearances in the las campaign. This season has been a different story for the versatile forward, as he has not just featured 36 times in the league, 13 of which in the starting XI, but scored four goals.
Reon Smith-Kouassi – Striker
The 20 year old signed in February from step 3 side Cheshunt. The striker made two league appearances at step 3 Potters Bar & Bowers & Pitsea, and scored four goals in 15 league appearances across step 4 Grays Athletic & Basildon United on loan at all four clubs from League One Leyton Orient. This season, Smith-Kouassi moved permanently to Cheshunt, and scored once in 21 league appearances, before his move to Sudbury, where he has made 10 league appearances, 4 of which in the starting XI.
Rocco Leeks – Striker
The 17 year old came through the Suds academy in the summer, and has made nine league appearances this season, all of which off the bench.
Jack Stone – Striker
The 20 year old joined last month on loan from National League side Southend United. The striker made seven league appearances last season on loan from Southend across step 4 sides Heybridge Swifts and Maldon & Tiptree. This season, Stone scored four times in 12 league games for step 4 Grays Athletic on loan, before making the loan switch to Sudbury, where he has scored four times, three of which penalties, in 11 league games, all but one of which in the XI.
Liam Pearce – Right Winger
The 21 year old came through the Suds academy in the summer of 2024. The winger, who can play virtually anywhere on the pitch, scored five goals in 35 league appearances last season. Pearce in their top scorer this season with seven league goals and has featured in all but one league game, all but one of those has been in the XI.
Statistical Insight
Halesowen
- Only Spalding United (62) have scored more second half goals this season in the Southern Premier Central than our 49.
- Only Spalding United (18) have scored more goals in the Southern Premier Central this season in the 15 minute plus stoppage time period before half-time than our 17.
- Only Spalding United (32) have scored more goals in the Southern Premier Central this season after the 76th minute than our 20.
- No other side in the Southern Premier Central this season have conceded more goals in the first 15 minutes than our 15.
Sudbury
- No other side in the Southern Premier Central this season have won fewer points so far in 2026 than Sudbury’s 4.
- No other side in the Southern Premier Central this season have conceded more second half goals than Sudbury’s 64.
- No other side in the Southern Premier Central this season have conceded more goals after the 76th minute than Sudbury’s 27.
- Only Royston Town (29) have dropped more points from winning positions this season in the Southern Premier Central than Sudbury’s 24.