Needham Market v Hednesford Town 1.2.2020

121: Sat 1 February 2020, 3pm, Bloomfields, Bet Victor Southern League Central Premier Division, Needham Market v Hednesford Town

Needham Market pick up their third straight win in the space of a week with a topsy-turvy encounter with Hednesford.

The Marketmen went in front a minute in, Adam Mills' shot was saved as Callum Page bundled in on the follow up for his third goal in as many games. The lead didn't last long however, as the Pitmen equalised in the tenth minute as Bailey tapped home from a corner. Hednesford though saw a fierce shot deflected just wide of the top corner on 14 minutes with the scores level at 1-1, whilst King headed wide from point blank range five minutes later.

Needham though regained their lead 11 minutes before the break, Callum Page squared across to Adam Mills who fired into the roof of the net from close range.  The hosts then made it 3-1 8 minutes before the interval as Billy Hunt ran onto a back pass to finish into the net past the onrushing keeper. The Marketmen therefore going into half-time 3-1 up. 

HT: Needham Market 3-1 Hednesford Town

The second half saw Needham go close to a fourth early on as Billy Hunt's low shot from inside the box on 53 minutes was saved well whilst Noah Collard's half-volley went just the wrong side of the post on 66 minutes, coming two minutes after Glover headed a cross in over the bar for the visitors. Hednesford though reduced the deficit on 74 minutes as King headed home from a cross into the box, followed by Hodge restoring parity just 4 minutes later firing home into the bottom far corner after finding space just ahead of the edge of the box.

The hosts meanwhile scored the winner with 6 minutes to go as James Baker flicked home Hunt's low cross, not before some great last ditch defending saw Glover's goal bound shot cleared off the line. The visitors however had one final chance to grab a point a minute into stoppage time but the shot from an unmarked position went just wide of the bottom corner as Needham did the double over their opponent's, moving up to 14th in the process. 

FT: Needham 4-3 Hednesford Town

Needham Market:-

1 Finlay Shorten

2 Jake Dye

3 Callum Sturgess

4 Noah Collard

5 Keiran Morphew (capt)

6 Daniel Morphew

7 Joseph Marsden (82' Baker) 

8 Callum Page (90'+2' Santa) 

9 Billy Hunt

10 Craig Parker

11 Adam Mills

Subs

12 James Baker

14 Jordao Diogo

15 Jamahl Godward

16 Jose Santa

17 Nathan Munson (GK) 

Hednesford Town:-

1 Shaun Rowley

2 Matthias Curley 

3 Samuel Griffiths 

4 Ben Bailey (capt) 

5 Charlie Gatter

6 Babtomiwa Solanke (68' Hallahan) 

7 Ben O'hanlon

8 Reece King

9 Daniel Glover

10 Soiyir Sanali (57' Hodge) 

11 Osebi Abadaki

Subs:

12 Izak Reid

14 Elliot Hodge

15 Jack Hallahan

16 Thomas Fry

17 Jose Veiga (GK) 

Booked: Glover (40'), Sanali (42'), Hunt (45'), O'Hanlan (75').

Goals: Page (1'), Mills (34'), Hunt (37'), Baker (84'); Bailey (10'), King (74'), Hodge (78').

 

Star man/MOTM Noah Collard

Entertainment 4.5