With Luke Ingram still recovering from his injury that saw him miss the last few games of last season, it was otherwise still a fairly strong Needham starting line-up with 3 trialists making up the starting eleven - with new signings still to be announced in due course.
Town meanwhile fielded a strong side in each half, with last season's match-winner when Town's U23s visited Bloomfields Chirewa included the first half team.
In what was an entertaining encounter, chances mostly fell to the visitors, with the first opportunity falling in the first minute - as new signing Dominic Ball saw his shot from just outside the box deflected behind by Needham captain Keiran Morphew.
The Needham centre-back put his body on the line bravely for his team once more in the seventh minute. After Sone Aluko had won back possession deep in the hosts' half, the Town first half captain saw his shot from just outside the box well blocked by the diving Morphew.
The first shot on target however arrived two minutes later, Chirewa teed up Joe Pigott in space on the edge of the box, but the forward's low shot was tipped behind expertly by Marcus Garnham down to his right hand side.
Needham defended valiantly, but the experience of their higher league opponents made the difference as Aluko's audacious low 25-yard free-kick crashed back into play off the base of Garnham's left-hand post after 12 minutes.
The Town number 23 was arguably the standout player for the Blues' in the first half, and was involved heavily in a lot of his side's play, this time playing a corner short to Chirewa, whose cracking low strike stung the hands of the fast reacting Garnham - who palmed it behind well for a corner to keep the score goalless after 15 minutes.
Needham's resistance though was broken though three minutes later courtesy of a well worked Town goal. After Edwards' mazy run down the right wing was halted by the home defence, the ball broke kindly to Matt Penney, who was free in space inside the box to exquisitely thrash an driven finish low across goal home past Garnham into the bottom right hand corner.
The goalscorer then looked to try his luck again from a similar position in the 21st minute, only this time the full-back wildly thrashed his shot over the bar.
Needham though had a great chance down the other end as Seth Chambers was released through clear on goal by a great ball over the top, but the forward took one touch too many allowing the visiting defence to catch up and deny him a shot at Walton's goal.
Town meanwhile had another chance to double their lead after 25 minutes, a great ball from Sone Aluko picked out Kyle Edwards, who in turn fed Joe Pigott in space around the penalty spot, but the forward's shot was tame and straight at Garnham.
A minute later, Aluko was wondering how he didn't double his side's advantage, the ex-Hull City man danced his way through into the box, down the right hand side, with some great footwork, but could only shot a centimetre wide of the base of Garnham's far post.
That was ultimately it as the half-time whistle went, with Ipswich going into the break a goal ahead.
As expected, Town fielded a completely different starting eleven for the second half of 30 minutes- but carried on from where their teammates left off in the first half with just two minutes of the second half played when Tommy Hughes fires his shot over from inside the box.
Moments later though the latter ultimately set up his side's second goal of the afternoon, Hughes burst through dangerously down the left-hand side of the penalty area, after latching onto Kane Vicent-Young's pass, before drawing a superb point blank range diving reaction save from the legs of Garnham, only for the rebound to deflect into his own net off substitute Hugh Cullum.
Vincent-Young then almost created a quickfire third goal for Town, although his audacious cross wasn't quite met by new Town signing Freddie Ladapo arriving at the back post.
Kevin Horlock then began to slowly introduce some more Trialists, as well as also handing a first team debut to sixteen year old Academy midfielder Flynn Crosthwaite - an afternoon to remember making his senior how against professional opposition.
A terrific flying save from Marcus Garnham once more frustrated the visitors as the stopper reacted superbly to tip over Idris El Mizouni's strike in the 41st minute.
The standout player arguably in the second half, Conor Chaplin, then tried his luck five minutes later as he fierce strike from just outside the box was well blocked by Dan Morphew.
Town went agonisingly close to increasing their lead on 48 minutes, Tommy Hughes threaded Freddie Ladapo one on one with substitute goalkeeper Ewan Johnson, but the forward could only shoot a centimetre wide of the stopper's right hand post.
Like buses, two goals arrived within the space of a minute for Town, as the visitors quickly raced into a four goal lead - first Conor Chaplin rifled home from club captain Sam Morsy's cross, closely followed by Freddie Ladapo's first Ipswich goal - latching onto a short pass from Johnson before delicately chipping the stranded 'keeper.
Town though were relentless, and netted a fifth goal with nine minutes left on the clock, Conor Chaplin picked up a deserved brace bullet heading home Tommy Hughes' pinpoint right wing cross into the top corner, at the back post.
Johnson meanwhile got down smartly to his right-hand side to shovel a great strike behind for a corner on 55 minutes, whilst Town added a sixth goal three minutes later.
New signing Greg Leigh joined Ladapo in netting his maiden Town goal, sliding in to finish of El Mizouni's sumptuous ball across the six yard box.
Still, Town weren't finished yet as Chaplin completed his hat trick after firing home a low 25-yard free-kick, via a deflection off the wall, into the bottom left hand corner, wrapping up a 7-0 victory for the EFL side.
The entertainment though was by no means over yet, as the players who were on the pitch at the final whistle, plus Walton and Garnham, took part in two penalty shootouts, with both taking place at the same time at both ends of the Bloomfields pitch - with Town taking first on both occasions.
In the shootout in front of the Hub building, hat-trick hero Conor Chaplin got proceedings underway, sending Garnham the wrong way to comfortably dispatch his spot-kick into the bottom left hand corner.
Former regular Needham penalty taker Dan Morphew then took first for the Marketmen, and showed why by empathically sending Walton the wrong way to sidefoot home into the top right-hand corner.
Town captain Sam Morsy then stepped up next, and duly copied Conor Chaplin's penalty - although with less power but was perfectly placed into the corner.
Kyle Hammond however couldn't maintain the 100% record to the start of the shootout, as Walton guessed to beat away the midfielder's effort down to his right-hand side.
Rakeem Harper then stepped up for Town's third penalty, duly beating Garnham, who guessed right, for power as he expertly picked out the top left hand corner.
First team debutant Flynn Crosthwaite proved to be the coolest man on the pitch, as the sixteen year old arguably scored the best of the lot - outrageously sending Walton the wrong way to smash his spot-kick into the top right-hand corner.
Cameron Burgess then stepped up next, but despite Garnham guessing right, thrashed his penalty home ruthlessly into the top right-hand corner.
Hugh Cullum though tried to catch Walton out, as the defender went low down the middle, only for the goalkeeper to get down smartly just to his right hand side to beat it away.
Freddie Ladapo then cooly dispatched his penalty, sending Garnham the wrong way as he placed his effort home into the middle right-hand corner.
Needham Trialist wearing number 11 then cooly sent Walton the wrong way to dispatch his penalty into the bottom left hand corner, while Christian Walton hammered home an excellent penalty just past Garnham, who got his right-hand to it, into the top left-hand corner.
Just like his spot-kick at Yeovil, Garnham though blasted his effort past the diving Walton into the top right-hand corner.
At the same time, in the goal in front of the Les Ward stand, Idris El Mizouni opened the second shootout, only to see his penalty expertly beaten away by the quick reflexes of Ewan Johnson down low to his right hand side.
Needham Trialist, wearing number 17, duly converted however - sending Hladky the wrong way as he cooly nestled his effort into the bottom right hand corner.
Tommy Hughes stepped up next for Town, and just beat Johnson to find the bottom left-hand corner.
Tom Fitzgerald however was denied by a stunning save from Hladky - who quickly got across to his right-hand side to beat his spot-kick behind.
Kane Vincent-Young oozed confidence as he hammered home past Johnson, who went the right way but was unable to get to the defender's fierce penalty that nestled into the top right-hand corner.
Needham Trialist number 15 though was unfazed as he sent Hladky the wrong way to slot home into the bottom left-hand corner.
Greg Leigh did likewise, but instead netted into the bottom right hand corner, followed by Jake Dye who rocketed his effort past Hladky who guessed right but could only watch as the full-back found the top right-hand corner.
Albie Armin then confidently sent Johnson the wrong way, picking out the right-hand corner in the process.
Trialist wearing number 16 neatly sent Hladky the wrong way, placing his penalty perfectly into the top left hand corner, making it 10-7 to Ipswich across both shootouts (4-4 in the second shootout).
Vaclav Hladky smartly dispatched his penalty past the rooted Johnson into the bottom left-hand corner, before the latter concluded the entertainment by hitting a contender for the best penalty from either shootout, blasting past Hladky - who dived low to his left-hand side - into the roof of the net, as the shootout ended level at 5 scored apiece while Town took an overall 11-9 victory across both shootouts.
The Marketmen return to action on Saturday 9th July as step 4, Northern Premier League Division One Midlands, side St Neots visit Bloomfields (3pm).
NM 1st Half:-
1 Marcus Garnham (46' Johnson)
2 Jake Dye
6 Dan Morphew
5 Keiran Morphew (c) (46' Trialist16)
3 Trialist (HT' 17)
8 Tom Fitzgerald
14 Kyle Hammond
10 Taylor Clark (HT' Cullum)
7 Trialist (40' 15)
9 Seth Chambers (40' Crosthwaite)
11 Trialist
Subs:
12 Hugh Cullum
17 Trialist
18 Flynn Crosthwaite
15 Trialist
1 Ewan Johnson
16 Trialist
Town 1st half
1 Christian Walton
2 Janoi Donacien
15 Corrie Nbada
6 Luke Woolfenden
3 Matt Penney
18 Cameron Humphreys
5 Dominic Ball
7 Kyle Edwards
19 Tawanda Chirewa
9 Joe Pigott
23 Sone Aluko (c)
Town 2nd half:
13 Vaclav Hladky
16 Idris El Mizouni
4 Rakeem Harper
26 Cameron Burgess
17 Greg Leigh
8 Lee Evans (52' Armin)
14 Sam Morsy (c)
21 Conor Chaplin
22 Tommy Hughes
24 Kane Vincent-Young
10 Freddie Ladapo
Sub:
20 Albie Armin
Goals: Penney (18'), Cullum (33'og), Chaplin (49', 51', 60'+1'), Ladapo (50'), Leigh (58').
Pen shootout 1 -
ITFC ✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️ (6)
NMFC ✔️✖️✔️✖️✔️✔️ (4)
Conor Chaplin ✔️
Dan Morphew ✔️
Sam Morsy ✔️
Kyle Hammond ✖️
Rakeem Harper ✔️
Flynn Crosthwaite ✔️
Cameron Burgess ✔️
Hugh Cullum ✖️
Freddie Ladapo ✔️
N11 Trialist ✔️
Christian Walton ✔️
Marcus Garnham ✔️
Shootout 2:
ITFC: ✖️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️ (5)
NMFC ✔️✖️✔️✔️✔️✔️ (5)
Idris El Mizouni ✖️
Trialist N17 ✔️
Tommy Hughes ✔️
Tom Fitzgerald ✖️
Kane Vicent-Young ✔️
N15 Trialist ✔️
Greg Leigh ✔️
Jake Dye ✔️
Albie Armin ✔️
N16 Trialist ✔️
Vaclav Hladky ✔️
Ewan Johnson ✔️
REPORT AND VIDEO (C) DREW KENDALL, 2022.
