Needham Market v Alvechurch 19.03.2022

The video. Super @marcuscharly @needhammktfc pic.twitter.com/7AKCU6fwAs

— Drew Kendall (@DKendallMedia) March 22, 2022

A late Daniel Waldron equaliser, for Alvechurch, denies ten man Needham Market all three points, after Luke Ingram's second half looping header in a game both sides went away disappointed with a share of the spoils.

Needham Market manager Kevin Horlock made 2 changes to Tuesday's Turner's Hyundai Suffolk CFA Premier Cup Quarter-Final win at Woodbridge Town, with Callum Sturgess and captain Keiran Morphew coming in for Tom Maycock and Hugh Cullum - who both started on the bench, whilst Noah Collard and Callum Page returned to the bench.

The Marketmen had the first shot of the afternoon on 10 minutes, after Patrick Brothers found space to shoot, but blazed his shot over the crossbar. 

At the other end, Alvechurch went close a minute later, as a free-kick was swung dangerously towards the far post, where a close range header was directed straight at the chest of goalkeeper Marcus Garnham at his near post. 

Some great play from the home side almost created the breakthrough after 14 minutes, Tom Fitzgerald cleverly threaded Harvey Sayer through down the overlap, who expertly kept the ball in play and held it up as he cut round his defender onto the right-hand edge of the box, where his curling shot went wide of the far post. 

The visitors meanwhile went close from a dangerously positioned free-kick on 23 minutes, Clayton-Phillips' set-piece though whipped just over the top left-hand near corner. 

Some superb defending from the home side thwarted the away side five minutes later, after a dangerous cutback on the left-hand byline fed a man free inside the box, the shot was well blocked by an alert defender. 

Harvey Sayer continued to trouble the visiting defence, after lasering a dangerous, just outside the penalty area, low free-kick just wide of the bottom far corner on the half hour mark, the on-loan Colchester United winger was fed into space just outside the box, who cut inside neatly only to fire wide off the bottom near corner two minutes later.

Sayer drew an excellent save from goalkeeper Leon Phillips nine minutes before the interval, this time the forward was teed up round the defender by, match Sponsor Sue Olding's Man Of The Match, Luke Ingram. Sayer then looked to fire his strike into the bottom left-hand corner, albeit denied by the strong right-hand and reactions of the diving Phillips. 

Moments later, the ball then fell to Ingram in space inside the box, but the striker's fierce close range shot was well blocked by the defender. 

Just into first half stoppage time, an excellent save from Marcus Garnham thwarted Alvechurch, beating Clayton-Phillips' volley behind at his near post for a corner. 

Early into the second half meanwhile, Alvechurch flashed a dangerous shot just wide after 47 minutes, with real clear cut chances virtually at a premium.

Two minutes later meanwhile, Needham had a great chance to break the deadlock, Luke Ingram threaded Taylor Clark through past the defence down the right-hand side inside the penalty area, though the midfielder could only fire his shot wide of the near post. 

Alvechurch meanwhile had a similar opportunity on 52 minutes, the away side threaded Skeen-Hamilton through down the right-hand side in the box, but the latter blazed his shot over the crossbar. 

The Marketmen though were reduced down to ten men a minute later, after Callum Sturgess was shown a straight red card for a foul in the penalty area, although penalty saving specialist Marcus Garnham guessed right, diving down to his left to beat away Skeen-Hamilton's spot-kick on 55 minutes. 

Kyle Hammond then saw his 20-yard volley at goal well blocked on 59 minutes, while the midfielder almost provided the assist for the opening goal 7 minutes later. Hammond's cross in found Patrick Brothers free at the back post, who took a touch before seeing his shot blocked from close range by Ben Cassidy. 

A crucial save from Marcus Garnham meanwhile thwarted Alvechurch what would've been a tap in on 72 minutes, this time the goalkeeper got down well at his near post, getting just enough on a dangerous low ball across the face of goal to prevent a certain goal a visiting player free at the back post. 

Needham arguably played better with 10 men and dominated, with the home side breaking the deadlock on 74 minutes as Harvey Sayer's sumptuous left wing free-kick was audaciously looped over Phillips into the bottom near corner by Luke Ingram, for his 20th goal of the season. 

It was almost 2-0 to the home side on 82 minutes, Sayer again floated a dangerous left wing free-kick into the penalty area, this time though his set-piece lofted into the six yard box just evaded Keiran Morphew at the back post.

Whilst at the other end, Alvechurch went close to an equaliser a minute later, firing just over the top far corner from the left-hand edge of the box. 

Excellent goalkeeping from Marcus Garnham prevented Alvechurch from drawing back level again on 86 minutes, the stopper got down well to hold onto a dangerous left wing cross into the 'keeper's six yard box. Down the other end, Needham substitute Noah Collard's dangerous cutback across the area fell to Callum Page, who could only blast his shot wide into the top side netting.

Needham meanwhile went agonisingly close to doubling their lead three minutes into four added minutes of stoppage time, Patrick Brothers beat the visiting goalkeeper to a long ball forward, although the midfielder's audacious chipped effort over the stranded Phillips curled just wide of the top far corner. 

Alvechurch however, equalised in the final minute of added time, as Danny Waldron bullet headed home from Turton's corner. 

The games continue to come thick and fast, with the Marketmen now on the road for back to back away games, with a trip to bottom side Biggleswade Town on Tuesday, ahead of a visit to Tamworth on Saturday - followed by two home games. 

Needham Market:-

1 Marcus Garnham (GK)

2 Jake Dye

3 Callum Sturgess

14 Kyle Hammond

5 Keiran Morphew (C)

6 Daniel Morphew

7 Thomas Fitzgerald (21' Page)

8 Patrick Brothers

9 Luke Ingram

10 Taylor Clark (60' Collard)

11 Harvey Sayer

Subs:

12 Ben Fowkes

15 Noah Collard

16 Thomas Maycock

17 Callum Page

18 Hugh Cullum

Alvechurch:-

1 Leon Phillips (GK)

2 Ben Cassidy (77' Burton)

3 Ethan Sephton

4 Tom Turton

5 Jamie WIllets

6 Ash Carter

7 Tomiwa Solanke (77' Hurst)

8 Zak Brown

9 Daniel Waldron

10 Nicholas Clayton-Phillips

11 Tyrell Skeen-Hamilton

Subs:

12 Bradley Burton

14 Ethan Patterson

15 Jack Hallahan

16 Kyle Hurst

17 Stanley Asomugha

Booked: K.Morphew (11'), Sephton (29'), Hammond (52'), Sayer (56'), Brothers (57'), Burton (81').

Goals: Ingram (74'); Waldron (90'+4').

Sent Off: Sturgess (53').

Att: 266. 

Woodbridge Town v Needham Market 15.03.2022

WHAT A HIT!

Here's @harvsayer's audacious finish last night in our Suffolk Premier Cup win at Woodbridge! pic.twitter.com/u7Po63Vvij

— Needham Market F.C. (@needhammktfc) March 16, 2022

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A post shared by Needham Market (@needham_marketfc)

Holders Needham Market advance to the Semi Finals of the Turners Hyundai Suffolk CFA Premier Cup, after a comfortable 2-0 win over Woodbridge Town away from home. 

Manager Kevin Horlock made 5 chances to Saturday's FA Trophy Quarter-Final, as Hugh Cullum, Taylor Clark, Tom Fitzgerald, Tom Maycock and Harvey Sayer all started in place of Callum Sturgess, Keiran Morphew, Callum Page (cup-tied), Noah Collard and Ben Fowkes, the latter whom started on the bench. 

Woodbridge meanwhile, featured a couple of ex-Marketmen in their ranks, with Fin Shorten and Rhys Barber, Needham's former captain and former all time appearance maker (before Luke Ingram overtook him earlier this season), both starting. 

Needham wasted little time before having the first chance, with Kyle Hammond exploiting space only to glance Harvey Sayer's, dangerously floated left wing, free-kick narrowly over the bar after just 2 minutes.

Nine minutes later, an excellent stop from Shorten denied Luke Ingram from breaking the deadlock in the eleventh minute, the forward got through well down the left-hand side into the box, where his low smashed shot across goal was beaten away by the quick reactions of Shorten. 

Taylor Clark was next to try his luck for Needham on 15 minutes, only to fire over the bar from 35-yards out.

But the Marketmen did break the deadlock two minutes later, after an audacious finish from Harvey Sayer, for his sixth Needham goal. Tom Fitzgerald fed Sayer running through down the left wing, who jinked past his defender before bending his shot, dipping exquisitely, over Shorten into the top far corner, 1-0 Needham. 

The opportunities kept falling the way of the higher league side on 25 minutes, although Kyle Hammond could only fire his fierce strike wide of the top right-hand corner from 40-yards out.

And some excellent play from the visitors, wearing their yellow away kit, again saw Harvey Sayer trouble the home defence three minutes later, this time Jake Dye fed the on-loan Colchester United winger through on the overlap, the goalscorer then cut inside, cleverly weaving through challenges, onto the edge of the box where he fired his strike just over the crossbar. 

The Marketmen arguably should have doubled their lead though on the half-hour mark, Taylor Clark expertly weaved through with possession, where he then teed up Tom Maycock on the edge of the box, who lofted a neat ball over the top to release Jake Dye through down the right-hand side inside the box, the right-back chested it down well, before poking it across the face of goal on a plate for Tom Fitzgerald free from point blank range at the near post, who could only sidefoot it over the crossbar. 

Woodbridge meanwhile saw a shot deflected behind for a corner two minutes later, while Needham almost doubled their lead after 37 minutes. Jake Dye scooped the ball over to Kyle Hammond down the right wing, who cleverly skilled two defenders as he broke into the penalty area, the midfielder then poked it onto to Fitzgerald who could only shoot straight at Shorten, who held onto it well at head height. 

Two minutes later, the visitors nearly struck again, Fitzgerald won the ball back brilliantly close to the penalty area, finding Luke Ingram just outside the area, with his back to goal, the striker neatly rolled his defender but smashed his shot just wide of the top left-hand corner. 

Needham went close again four minutes before the interval, this time Harvey Sayer's outswinging low left wing free-kick was quickly latched onto by Luke Ingram inside the six yard box, at the near post, who could only tap it agonisingly just wide of the post. 

Sayer then whipped and excellent corner into a packed six yard box a minute into first half stoppage time, but Shorten was unfazed as he brilliantly claimed the cross on his goal-line.

Into the second half, it was more of the same arguably, although Woodbridge did enjoy an equal share of possession in an end to end start to the half, although the majority of the chances still went to the Marketmen. 

Just two minutes after the restart, the visitors drew a great reaction stop from Fin Shorten, Patrick Brothers fed Harvey Sayer into space, who drove through down the left wing before drilling a great cross-shot across the face of goal, forcing the diving Shorten to quickly get down and tip it behind his near post for a corner ahead of the lurking Ingram. 

And from the resulting corner, the Marketmen rattled the woodwork, Sayer's left wing corner picked out Dan Morphew free from 13-yards out, at the near post, whose low volleyed effort cannoned back in off the outside of the near post. The rebound meanwhile fell to Tom Fitzgerald, whose strike was deflected behind for a corner. 

The chances kept falling for Needham, as Luke Ingram then fired fiercely over the bar from 30-yards out on 49 minutes, whilst alert goalkeeping from Marcus Garnham denied the Woodpeckers down the other end two minutes later. 

After a left wing corner was turned goalwards at the far post, the clearance off the goal-line was dangerously put back into the danger area, where the shot needed tipping over the crossbar by Garnham guarding his near post. 

Harvey Sayer's mazy run through to the left hand byline created yet more havoc for the home defence in 63 minutes, this time the goalscorer smashed a brilliant ball across the face of goal, forcing Shorten to fly upwards on his goal-line to tip it away. Taylor Clark then squared it across the six yard box, towards Tom Maycock at the far post, who just couldn't make contact from point blank range. 

The Marketmen though doubled their lead with twenty minutes to go, great play from Needham saw substitute Ben Fowkes hold up the ball well just outside the box, finding Taylor Clark, who drove through the box onto the right-hand byline, where his squared ball across the six yard box was deflected in off Luke Taylor and past the wrong footed Shorten at the near post, 2-0 Needham. 

Harvey Sayer meanwhile fired just over the bar from 30-yards out four minutes later, while substitute Seth Chambers fired narrowly wide of the bottom far corner from the left hand edge of the box a minute later.

At the other end, Taylor nearly made amends for his own goal in the 77th minute, but the defender could only head a left wing corner just over the crossbar.

Two minutes later, one of seven current or graduate Academy players (six of whom featured), involved on the night, Archie Exworth made his first team debut, in place of joint Man Of The Match Taylor Clark (who shared that accolade with Sayer)

Two minutes before stoppage time, Ben Fowkes then drew a routine save from Shorten, who was right behind the forward's low shot towards the stopper's right-hand post. 

A superb stop from the Woodbridge goalkeeper thwarted Needham from adding a third a minute into injury time, Shorten showed excellent reactions to fly down to tip Kyle Hammond's rifled 30-yard strike behind his near left-hand post for a corner. 

Harvey Sayer almost provided a third goal for Needham two minutes later, the joint-Man Of The Match's dangerously floated free-kick however went just wide of the far post with nobody in Needham yellow able to get the final touch on it. 

The Marketmen return to league action on Saturday, when they host Alvechurch (3pm), with entry "Pay What You Like."

Woodbridge Town:-

1 Finlay Shorten

2 Sean Rea (c)

3 Mason Sinclair

4 Taylor Southgate

5 Luke Taylor

6 Rhys Barber

7 Shane Hambling

8 Andy Crowe

9 Kelsey Trotter

10 Elliott Capel 

11 Ryan Keeble

Subs:

12 Ethan Broom

14 Callum Sinclair

15 Jack Newman

16 Owen Broom

17 Gabe Ruth Pateman

Needham Market:-

1 Marcus Garnham

2 Jake Dye

3 Patrick Brothers (71' Chambers)

14 Kyle Hammond

5 Hugh Cullum

6 Daniel Morphew (c)

7 Taylor Clark (79' Exworth)

8 Tom Fitzgerald

9 Luke Ingram (69' Fowkes)

10 Tom Maycock

11 Harvey Sayer

Subs:

12 Ben Fowkes

15 Seth Chambers

16 Louie McDonagh

17 Archie Exworth

Booked: Crowe (65')

Goals: Sayer (17'), Taylor (70'og).

Sayer post match interview:-

DK: Nice win away from home, how do you think the game went?

HS: Was a good professional performance, first half we were dominant and kept the ball really well and created some good chances which we should of probably scored and this carried on into the second half where looking back on it, we probably should have scored more than 2 but the main thing was to get the win and book our place in the semi finals. 

DK: Thought you were quite a handful for Woodbridge tonight, how do you feel you did?

HS: Yeahh I thought I done well, I’m in the team to cause opposition defenders problems and make things happen for us and I did that tonight but so did the rest of the team so was a good overall performance from all of us.

DK: A stunning finish from you got the scoring under way, talk us through it?

HS: First things first it’s definitely a shot not a cross!! But I’ve just picked the ball up on the left and drove at their defender and have managed to get a yard to shoot and luckily have managed to put it in the top corner. Happy to get on the scoresheet. 

DK: Into the Semi Finals, the perfect response to Saturday's unfortunate result, do you agree?

HS: Saturday was a hard one to take as of course we wanted to keep the cup run going but it wasn’t to be but we have to take Saturday and learn from it which we have and will. But now that cup run is over we still have stuff to play for this season and a big one for us is winning this cup and tonight we took another step towards achieving that.

DK: Back to league action on Saturday, against Alvechurch, I'm sure you'll be looking to repeat your goal against them away?

HS: Yeahh another big game Saturday for us where we will be looking to get the 3 points so a goal like that again and 3 points would be ideal. 

Ipswich Town v Lincoln City 08.03.2022

In-form Ipswich Town pick up their 9th win from 14 games (which includes just two defeats) under manager Kieran McKenna (who's first game in charge was in a 1-0 win over Wycombe Wanderers at Portman Road in their final game of 2020 on December 29th) with a dominant performance over Lincoln City, cutting the gap to the League One Playoffs to just 3 points, despite having played two games more.

Prior to the midweek encounter, re-arranged from New Year's Day, Town (9th prior to kick off) had won 4 and drawn 3 of their last seven, whilst the visiting Imps (18th) had lost 3, drawn 1 and lost 2 - after both teams picked up all three points on Saturday (Ipswich triumphed 2-0 at Fleetwood Town, whilst Lincoln beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 at home).

In truth, it was a lackluster performance from the visitors, with Ipswich finding it too easy on numerous occasions to cut in onto the byline inside the Imps' penalty area. 

The result also means that the Blues have now done the double over Lincoln this season, having won 1-0 in September after Macauley Bonne's only goal on the half-hour mark, and are now unbeaten in their last seven Football League home encounters with the Imps', winning 5 and drawing two, with Lincoln's last 9 Football League encounters with Ipswich, prior to this game, also reading similarly, having won just 2, drawing 1 and losing 6 (but had won 2, drawn 1 and lost 2 of their last five FL meetings). 

Last night's win also marks the 10th clean sheet the Blues have recorded under McKenna, conceding just five goals in the process - but have scored 19 goals now since he took over after departing Manchester United. 

McKenna made two changes to Saturday's victory, Tyreeq Bakinson, on-loan from Bristol City, and Sone Aluko coming in for Conor Chaplin and Joe Pigott.

Town arguably should've taken the lead after just two minutes, Man Of The Match Sone Aluko fed Hanoi Donacien through onto the right-hand byline inside the box, whose cutback found Wes Burns free from 14-yards out, although the midfielder could only sidefoot his first time shot just over the crossbar. 

Town deservedly broke the deadlock on 23 minutes, Bersant Celina fed Kayden Jackson racing through down the left wing, where his inviting cutback just evaded Morsy, but was pounced on by the arriving Wes Burns to hammer home a stunning first time strike into the top righ-hand corner for his 11th goal of the season and tenth in League One, 1-0 ITFC. 

It was soon 2-0 just nine minutes later, goalscorer Burns again proved too much for the Lincoln defence down the right wing, where after beating his defender, he cut-back a great ball into captain Sam Morsy free from close range, whose off-target shot was pounced onto by Kayden Jackson at the far post, to pick up his second goal in back to back games, 5th of 2021-22 (3rd in the league) and 21st Ipswich goal, from point blank range, diverting the ball home into the left-hand corner.

That was really all that happened in the first half, with no other shots on target for either side, after Ipswich had seen 6 shots blocked, whilst the other 3 of their 11 first half efforts were off-target. Lincoln by contrast could only muster two first half efforts, one of which was horrendously wayward, and the other of which was blocked. 

Town never really got out off second gear, with Lincoln unable to provide any major threat going forward, who only had one shot on target - which never troubled Walton, only had that and another off-target effort to show attacking wise, with Ipswich continuing to control proceedings.

Some excellent play between Aluko and goalscorer Jackson saw the duo's neat exchange of passes result in the former latching onto Jackson's return pass through the defence, though the star man could only fire wide of the top near right-hand corner. 

Just a minute later however, Town forced a flying save out off Lincoln keeper Wright, Aluko's sumptuous right wing corner audaciously found George Edmundson free from point blank range whose goalbound effort was tipped just wide of his top near corner by an instinctive save from the shot-stopper.

Three minutes before a mammoth eight minutes of stoppage time, Town forced a great stop out off the visiting 'keeper, substitute Conor Chaplin fed Tyreeq Bakinson free in acres of space from 35-yards, whose exquisite curling low effort needed beating behind the goalkeeper down to his bottom left-hand side. 

The final chance also fell to the home side two minutes into stoppage time, as Town were awarded a dangerous free-kick from 3p-yards out, Conor Chaplin however could only curl it wide of the bottom left-hand corner. 

A comfortable win maintains Ipswich's impressive recent form, ahead of Saturday's home clash with fellow in-form team Portsmouth at Portman Road.

However, next for me is the HUGE Buildbase FA Trophy Quarter-Final at Bloomfields, as Non League Step 3 Southern League Central Premier Division side Needham Market welcome National League leaders Stockport County (3pm) in an all ticket clash. 

Ipswich Town:-

28 Christian Walton

44 Janoi Donacien

6 Luke Woolfenden

5 George Edmundson (61' Burgess)

7 Wes Burns

55 Sam Morsy (c) (76' Carroll)

12 Tyreeq Bakinson

22 Dominic Thompson

23 Sone Aluko (82' Chaplin)

43 Bersant Celina

19 Kayden Jackson

Substitutes

9 Joe Pigott

10 James Norwood

18 Macauley Bonne

21 Conor Chaplin

25 Tom Carroll

26 Cameron Burgess

31 Vaclav Hladky

Lincoln City:-

29 Jordan Wright

2 Regan Poole

5 Adam Jackson

22 TJ Eyoma

20 Brooke Norton-Cuffy

18 Conor McGrandles (c) 

10 Chris Maguire (68' Scully)

19 Lewis Fiorini (77' Sorensen)

7 Morgan Whittaker

27 John Marquis

8 Liam Cullen (HT' Bishop)

Substitutes

6 Max Sanders

9 Tom Hopper 

11 Anthony Scully

12 Ted Bishop

15 Cohen Bramall

16 Joe Walsh

21 Lasse Sorensen

Booked: Poole (39'), McGrandles (45'+1'), Cellina (45'+1'), Maguire (45'+3'),

Goals: Burns (23'), Jackson (32'), 

Att 24,989

Lincoln 363. 

Felixstowe & Walton United U18 v Needham Market U18 07.03.2022

Needham Market Under-18s set up a Suffolk U18 Boys Midweek Cup Semi-Final against AFC Sudbury, following a 5-0 win over Felixstowe in the re-arranged Quarter-Final, which was switched to Bloomfields.

Wearing their Navy Blue Away kit, the young Marketmen were arguably much the better side throughout, with a clinical first half leaving the tie effectively over at the interval.

The first chance arrived just three minutes in, hat-trick hero Seth Chambers found space down the right-hand byline inside the penalty area, where his inviting squares ball across the six yard box was partially parried away by the diving Button off his line, as far as Louie McDonagh free from 3-yards out, whose first shot was crucially blocked off the line, whilst his rebound effort went just over the crossbar. 

Needham went close again after 15 minutes, this time Dimitri Gayle raced through onto the right-hand byline to square it into Archie Exworth free from 4-yards out, whose shot however went just wide of the bottom corner. 

At the other end though, former Needham Under-18 Kurt Warren forced a good stop from Ewan Johnson a minute later, as the Felixstowe youngster's low shot on the right-hand edge of the box was held well by Johnson at his near post. 

Archie Exworth then tried his luck at goal again on 20 minutes, only to fire a fierce shot just wide of the bottom far corner from 25-yards out. 

The young Marketmen broke the deadlock a minute later, Flynn Crosthwaite exploited space in midfield to drive towards goal and slot a great defence splitting pass through to Seth Chambers to race through one on one with Button, where the striker brilliantly swept his shot underneath the diving arm of the diving goalkeeper and into the bottom far left-hand corner, 1-0 Needham. 

Needham had a great chance to add to their lead on 29 minutes, after Harry Blackburn's corner was flicked on by Ben Smith although Euan Shepherd just couldn't reach it on the byline.

A minute later, another Blackburn corner created a great chance for Needham to double their lead, this time finding Crosthwaite whose low shot was well saved by Button at his bottom far corner. 

Seconds later, Needham did double their lead, Euan Shepherd threaded Chambers through the defence, with another audacious defence splitting pass, where the forward, again one on one with Button, this time nutmegged the goalkeeper with a great finish to find the bottom middle corner.

Five minutes later, Needham tripled their lead, Blackburn squared it across on a plate from the right wing, finding Shepherd free at point blank range at the far post, to easy tap home into the gaping far corner. 

Two minutes into first half stoppage time, Chambers netted his hat-trick, Brandon Greenleaf races through onto the left wing byline to square it on a plate across the face of goal, finding Chambers free at the near post from point blank range, who stuck out a foot to steer it home into the bottom near corner, 4-0 Needham at the break. 

It was a similar story in the second half, as a great ball over the top found Louie McDonagh free inside the box, who controlled it well but could only poke his shot wide of the bottom left-hand corner on 53 minutes.  

On the hour mark, Needham went close again as Dimitri Gayle curled a sumptuous 30-yard free-kick agonisingly just over the top right-hand near corner. 

Two minutes later, McDonagh was then fed through inside the box, who cleverly cut inside to shoot from a central position, though his shot was deflected wide for a Needham corner. 

Meanwhile on 64 minutes, Blackburn created chaos for the Felixstowe defence, as his low first time, on the volley, squared ball across the corridor of uncertainty in the six yard box was dangerously hacked up in the air by the defender, dropping onto the top off the crossbar, back up into the air before landing on the roof of the back of the net for a corner. 

The resulting corner fell to Crosthwaite just inside the box on the left-hand side, whose fierce low strike was well held by Button at his near post. 

Substitute Eddie Barker was then fed through by a great ball round the defence onto the right-hand side of the penalty area, only to shoot agonisingly just wide of the bottom far corner on 67 minutes. 

Crosthwaite then scooped a delicious ball over the defence, from the halfway line, over towards Barker but Button read it and was off his line well to intercept and gather just inside his box after 68 minutes.

Blackburn was again slotted through inside the box on 73 minutes, this time down the left-hand side, where his low shot towards the bottom near corner was well saved by the foot of Button, with the rebound dangerously passing through the box with nobody in Needham Navy Blue there.

Brandon Greenleaf then rifled a fierce 25-yard strike just over the crossbar on 84 minutes, whilst an excellent diving reaction stop from Johnson preserved his side's clean sheet a minute later. 

Martey Teye Botchway was threaded through one on one with Johnson, whose shot was destined to nestle into the top left-hand corner, but for the goalkeeper to dive across well and tip it just over the crossbar. 

Needham then rounded off the scoring on 89 minutes, with another well worked goal, Barker was threaded through down the right-hand side into the box, to square it across to Shepherd, to net his brace from 4-yards out, poking home into the bottom near corner, 5-0. 

A minute later, Aiden Jolly then saw a well struck 25-yard shot blocked by the backside of Louis Hart, whilst Felixstowe missed a golden chance on 90+2 minutes, heading just over from a corner from point blank range at the far post.

And with the last action, Blackburn then drove through onto the right-hand edge of the box to then fire an equally driven shot towards the bottom near corner, which Button gathered well.

A perfect start from the Needham perspective to the first of 4 quarter-finals in eight days, with 3 of which at Bloomfields. On Saturday the men's first team welcome National League leaders Stockport County in the FA Trophy, whilst the women welcome Haringey Borough in the Eastern Regions Women's League Cup Quarter Final on Sunday. The Under-18s are back in home action next Tuesday when they welcome Whitton United (7:45pm).

Needham Market:-

1 Ewan Johnson

2 Harry Blackburn 

3 Brandon Greenleaf

4 Flynn Crosthwaite

5 Dillon Olias (c)

6 Ben Smith

7 Euan Shepherd

8 Archie Exworth 

9 Seth Chambers

10 Louie McDonagh(-Kudiabor)

11 Dimitri Gayle

Subs:

12 Eddie Barker

14 Clayton Osborn

16 Ben Hendry

17 Aiden Jolly

Felixstowe & Walton United:- 

1 Kieran Button

2 Harry Taylor

3 Shay Mackay

4 George Bareham (c)

5 Sebastian Goodhand

6 Cameron Compton

7 Johnny Oke

8 Louis Hart

9 Sergio Germain

10 Kurt Warren

11 Martey Teye Botchway

Subs:

12 Alfie Rattle

14 Ryley Stansby

15 Charles Pyett

16 Harvey Zefi

Booked: Button (23'), Hart (36'), Hendry (91').

Goals: Chambers (21', 30', 45'+2'), Shepherd (35', 89').

Needham Market v Leiston Reserves 11.02.2022

 

Needham Market Reserves record a comfortable win over Leiston Reserves in front of 133 on the Bloomfields 3G Pitch.

The young Marketmen came from behind to fire five past Leiston, with the visitors breaking the deadlock in the eighth minute, Tugman's low cross found Ollie Godbold with his back to goal, from close range, who spun well before guiding the ball home into the bottom right-hand corner, 0-1 Leiston.

The reds though were soon level after 13 minutes, Seth Chambers exploited space as he drove through into the penalty area, down the left-hand side, his low shot though was palmed away by goalkeeper Podd, down to his left hand side, as far as Louie Kudiabor from point blank range to tap home down the middle of the net, 1-1. 

Ex-Marketman Kai Fletcher however shot wide two minutes later, while Louie Kudiabor's dangerously low curling free-kick needed beating away by Podd diving down well at his far post on 17 minutes. 

The home side meanwhile were soon in front with 25 minutes on the clock, Mo Igwebuike won the ball back high in Leiston's half, Seth Chambers then picked up possession 20-yards from goal, who duly smashed home into the bottom left hand corner, 2-1 Needham. 

Dillon Olias then looked to thread Louie Kudiabor through on goal a minute later, but goalkeeper Podd was off his line to gather at the top of his eighteen yard box. 

Flynn Crosthwaite went close himself in the 27th minute, the midfielder's 30-yard powerful strike though went narrowly wide of the top right hand corner. 

At the other end, a Callum Pearce left wing free-kick created a good chance for Leiston on 33 minutes, the full-back's ball in found Iuri Fernandes who could only volley wide of the far post. 

Eight minutes later, the young Marketmen added a third goal with the last notable action of the half, with Seth Chambers netting a brace in the process. Ben Harris threaded the forward through one on one with Podd, who fired, his 13th Reserve team goal, home past the onrushing Podd brilliantly into the bottom right-hand corner, 3-1. 

The chances kept falling the way of the home side on the 57th minute when the ball fell to Mo Igwebuike, on the edge of the box, who could only skew his half-volley wide of the right-hand post. 

Ben Harris meanwhile saw his well hit low shot on the left-hand edge of the box deflected just wide for a corner, shortly after which Seth Chambers agonisingly headed Marcus Curtis' cross just wide from six yards out at the far post on the hour-mark.

The young Marketmen added to their lead six minutes later with an absolute cracking hit from Ben Harris. After being found on the left-hand edge of the box by Louie Kudiabor, Harris smashed an absolutely great strike into the bottom far corner, 4-1 Needham. 

The goalscorer looked to turn provider on 67 minutes, this time Harris drove brilliantly past the defender to reach the right-hand byline, the forward then cut inside to cut it back to Flynn Crosthwaite on the left-hand edge of the box, who beat his defender before firing a great low strike towards the bottom left-hand corner, forcing a brilliant low save by the goalkeeper, as far as Chambers free from point blank range, whose shot from a tight angle was again superbly denied by Harrison Podd, deflecting it just wide of the bottom near corner with his legs. 

It was high fives though for the home side from the resulting corner, as Ben Harris picked up his second goal in as many minutes to complete the rout. The aforementioned corner fell to Harris 12-yards out to rifle home an audacious volley that was deflected into the far corner, 5-1 Needham. 

It was almost 6-1 on 71 minutes, Harris raced past the full-back down the left wing to hang a brilliant cross into Seth Chambers from 4-yards out, who could only loop his header over the top near corner. 

Clever play from Needham once more saw Chambers go close to completing his hat-trick on 74 minutes, Louie Kudiabor drove through free just outside the box, the forward unselfishly teed up the former free inside the box, whose low clever shot towards the bottom far right-hand corner was saved brilliantly by Podd, showing lightning reactions. 

Harris himself had an opportunity to get a hat-trick four minutes later, after latching onto Ewan Johnson's brilliant long kick over the top, the former raced through onto the edge of the box, only to blaze fiercely over the crossbar. 

Harris' troublesome cross on 81 minutes meanwhile saw Leiston captain Sam Allen inadvertently glance a looping header creeping into his top far corner, whose blushes were spared by Podd, who held onto it well. 

Moments later, Louie Kudiabor thumped a ferocious volley over the bar, whilst Archie Simpson could only head Ben Harris' free header straight at Podd's chest on 83 minutes. 

A good save from Podd denied Chambers his hat-trick again in the 90th minute, beating away the forward's low 20-yard driven shot, bringing to an end a comprehensive win for the young Needham side. 

Needham Market:-

1 Ewan Johnson

2 Dillon Olias

3 Ivan Sanchez (77' Greenleaf)

4 Mahmoud Igwebuike (81' Simpson)

5 Sam Leslie

6 Shane Wardley (c)

7 Marcus Curtis (68' Shepherd)

8 Flynn Crosthwaite

9 Seth Chambers

10 Louie Kudiabor

11 Ben Harris

Subs:

14 Brandon Greenleaf

15 Euan Shepherd

16 Archie Simpson

Leiston:-

1 Harrison Podd

2 Callum Sinclair

3 Callum Pearce

4 Tom Bak

5 James Gaffer

6 Sam Allen (c)

7 Ollie Godbold 

8 Iuri Fernandes

9 Kai Fletcher

10 Ash Wilding

11 Jacobbi Tugman

Subs:

12 Dieu (Dido) Bolayi

14 Kareem Foster

15 Kyle French

16 Ryan Mesuria

Booked: Gaffer (30').

Goals: Kudiabor (13'), Chambers (25', 41'), Harris (66', 68'); Godbold (8').