AFC Sudbury 0 Oxford United 2

Oxford United eased into the second round of the FA Trophy with a professional performance in difficult conditions in Suffolk this afternoon. In pouring rain on a boggy pitch, Oxford didn't allow the home team to use the conditions to their advantage, and instead took the game to their hosts. Darren Gould had already made a couple of routine saves, from a Matt Day long-range shot and an Eddie Hutchinson header, when United took the lead on the half-hour mark. Jamie Guy out-muscled Curtis Haynes-Brown, took the ball on a couple of paces, and then blasted the ball under the diving Gould. Guy then went close with a looping header, before Sudbury forced their first corner of the game, on the stroke of half-time, to the accompaniment of an incredibly annoying air-raid siren.

Sudbury then gave United a big scare right at the start of the second half when Craig Bussons' shot from the edge of the penalty area smashed against the crossbar, taking Billy Turley by surprise as the keeper had had almost nothing to do for the first 45 minutes. Sudbury pressed Oxford more in the second period, but were always vulnerable to the pace of Lewis Haldane and Yemi Odubade. Sudbury won two or three corners in the second half but, apart from one that Turley dropped and Joe Burnell scrambled clear, they presented few problems for the United defence. At the other end Gould had to save from James Constable and Yemi, while Haldane went close-ish with a couple of shots. Guy scored his and Oxford's second five minutes from time when the Sudbury defence failed to clear a Day free kick and Guy shot into the roof of the net after his first effort had been blocked.

Jim Smith recalled Chris Carruthers to the side after the left-back had missed the Weymouth game due to a knock he'd received at Mansfield, and reverted to the three-at-the-back system used at Field Mill. Phil Trainer had dropped to the bench to allow Carruthers to play. Just before half-time, Carruthers limped from the field to be replaced by Haldane, and at the same time ROS Sam Deering was taken off for Yemi. Trainer got his chance when he came on for Constable with about 15 minutes to go.

Today's referee was M Bull, the same chap who took charge of Oxford's 1-1 draw at Ebbsfleet United earlier this season. On that occasion he sent off Luke Foster, but today he kept the red card in his pocket. In fact he reffed the conditions remarkably well, although he did book Hutchinson for a late tackle. The attendance was 434, which comes in as the fourth-lowest crowd to watch United, since they turned professional, for which we have the figures. There was no segregation, so it's anyone's guess how many of them were from Oxford.[@news]2424[/@news][@opponent]afc sudbury[/@opponent]

A number of today's games fell foul of the weather, but there were some Conference clubs involved in FA Trophy first round ties. Altrincham lost 4-1 at home to Southport, while in all-Conference ties Mansfield were beaten 2-1 at Wrexham and Cambridge United won 3-2 at Histon in a local derby. Conference winners were: Barrow, who beat Skelmersdale 2-1 at Holker Street; Kettering Town, who won 4-1 at Cambridge City; Forest Green Rovers, who beat Hemel Hempstead 5-1 in Nailsworth; Stevenage Borough, who beat St Albans 4-1; and Lewes, who won 2-1 at Team Bath, whose neighbours Bath City were beaten 2-0 at Torquay United. One side that needs a replay is Rushden & Diamonds, who were held 1-1 at Newport County.