Welcome to my Football Groundhopping blog, detailing all of my football adventures from the 2018/19 season to present. (2024/25) These games will include: Non-League, Sunday League Football, Non-League Youth (U18) Football, and maybe a few Professional Football matches. All opinions are my own, even reports I have written for Needham. All reports, photos, videos + Tweets (c) Drew Kendall, 2018-2025
Wednesday, 2 November 2022
Bury Town U23 v Felixstowe + Walton United U23 | 31.10.2022 | Isthmian League Development North Division |
Young Blues make it 2 wins from 2 home matches, with Cameron Nicholls and Cruis Nydazayo scoring five goals between them.
Bury Town Under-23s move into second, four points behind leaders Heybridge Swifts after 3 wins from five matches with a 6-2 thumping over Suffolk rivals Felixstowe + Walton United U23s in the Isthmian Devlopment League North Division, on Halloween.
The home side were by far the more clinical of the two, with recent Bury signing Cameron Nicholls testing visiting goalkeeper Kieran Button after just two minutes. The forward picked up possession out on the right-hand side, only to see his low shot across goal well held by the aforementioned 'keeper.
Great play from the young Blues almost fruited the opening goal of the night after just five minutes, Nicholls threaded Harvey Mills through smartly down the left wing, who in turn fed Ryan Jolland into space inside the box, though the midfielder blasted his shot wide into the near side-netting.
The home side then went close on 19 minutes, Cruis Nydazayo snuck a clever low ball across from the left-hand byline across to Max Willcox, though the defender's close range shot went just wide of the bottom far corner.
Soon after, Bury then looked to thread Nicholls through into acres of space down the left wing, although Button advanced off his line well to smother the ball.
While the home side were on top for the majority of the night, some good defending denied Bury the opening goal of the night after 21 minutes. A brilliant low cross in found Ryan Jolland in acres of space, but the midfielder's on target shot was crucially blocked by a defender from close range.
Two minutes later, a flying save from Bury goalkeeper Dan Stobbart thwarted Felixstowe from breaking the deadlock. A left wing cross found Tommy Smith whose dangerous close range header was brilliantly tipped away by the diving Stobbart across to his right-hand side.
That save proved to be pivotal, as Bury broke the deadlock on 24 minutes, Cameron Nicholls beat two defenders as he weaved through down the left-hand side of the box before slotting home neatly into the bottom near corner, 1-0 Bury.
A good save from Button denied Jolland from doubling Bury's lead a minute later, the midfielder latched onto a good through-ball down the right-hand side of the young Seasider's penalty area, only for his low shot to be smothered well by the diving 'keeper at his near post.
Nydazayo meanwhile tried his luck at goal in the 33rd minute, though his low shot from a tight angle was just smothered by Button down well at his near right-hand post.
Nydazayo continued to trouble the visiting defence a minute, the forward displayed some neat, quick footwork to spin and drive into space down the left-hand side of the box only for his low ball smashed across goal to be smothered behind for a corner.
At the other end meanwhile, Noah Harewood picked up possession in space inside the hosts' penalty area, but the midfielder's first time half-volley went just over Stobbart's crossbar on 36 minutes.
Bury on the other hand went into the break 3 goals to the good, courtesy of two terrific finishes from Cruis Nydazayo in the space of five first half minutes.
The forward ghosted past the defence to latch onto a great ball through, with just Button to beat, Nydazayo smartly thumped home a great strike into the top right-hand corner to deservedly double his side's advantage on 37 minutes.
Nydazayo then trumped that strike with an outrageous goal, after exploiting space down the left-hand side of the box, the forward smashed home his second stunning goal of the night across goal into the top corner 3-0 Bury.
On the stroke of half-time, the hosts almost added a fourth goal, with an arriving Blue shirt just unable to connect with Cruis Nydazayo's brilliant ball across. Bury retained possession, albeit the resulting low fierce strike from the edge of the box was just parried away by a good diving save by Button, which just evades a blue shirt running in at point blank range.
The young Blues continued their momentum into the second half, with Button forced into action just two minutes after the restart. Jack Utting motored down the right wing before whipping a great cross into the six yard box, which just sailed over the head of the arriving Cam Nicholls. However, Jack Maher was on hand to latch onto possession at the far post, though his fierce low strike was tipped wide onto the side-netting by Button down at his near post.
The resulting corner found Max Willcox who leapt highest, only for the defender's effort to go just over off the top of the crossbar.
Four minutes later, Bury added their fourth goal of the night following a brilliant move from the home side. Cruis Nydazayo was threaded through brilliantly down the right wing to curl an audacious ball round the defence perfectly for the arriving Cameron Nicholls, who joined Cruis on a brace, by simply tapping home into the roof of the net free from close range, 4-0 Bury.
Button then denied the Blues with a great diving save, parrying away a low 54th minute effort, while a deflection denied Nydazayo from netting his third goal of the night two minutes later.
Nydazayo started the move, threading Ryan Jolland past the defence into acres of space, down the right wing, the latter broke through onto the byline where the midfielder returned the favour to the forward whose shot was deflected wide into the near side netting.
It was high fives for the young Blues on 67 minutes, with Cameron Nicholls completing his hat-trick in true poachers fashion. Theo Carter's right wing free-kick was flicked on by Ryan Jolland at the near post with Nicholls quickest to react, tapping home at the back post from point blank range.
With the three points virtually wrapped up, the home side took their foot off the gas two minutes later, with Dan Stobbart on hand to deny the visitors. After advancing off his line, the goalkeeper dived across well to his right to parry a great Felixstowe shot across goal over for a corner.
A crucial goal-line clearance meanwhile thwarted a sixth Bury goal in the 72nd minute, a great right wing cross from deep picked out Ethan Flack inside the box from 12-yards out and leapt highest ahead of Button, who had rushed off his line, though his brilliant goal bound looping header to be just cleared off the line by Sam Donnelly.
At the other end, two fantastic saves from Dan Stobbart in as many minutes preserved his clean sheet, after the goalkeeper spilt a dangerous left wing set-piece, the home stopper recovered well to smother Marcel Kiwumya's shot from close range on 73 minutes.
Stobbart though had to be at his best to deny Mo Sylla, the substitute drove through on goal only to see his clever shot tipped round the post by an outrageous flying save across to his left-hand side by Stobbart.
While Bury had already been clinical and rampant, Felixstowe had started to look a threat after the hosts' had taken off both Cam Nicholls and Cruis Nydazayo, albeit Bury did go close to a sixth goal in the 81st minute, as a brilliant left wing cross into the box forced Donnelly to clear the ball just over his top far corner for a corner.
Great pressure from Bury substitute Ethan Flack almost created a sixth goal for the home side on 88 minutes, after the forward charged down a defender's clearance out on the right wing, as the ball ricocheted towards the top near corner which Button was alert to claim at his near post.
Charlie Smith then thrashed a 30-yard shot over two minutes later, while the visitors did get on the scoresheet a minute into stoppage time.
Cameron Compton broke through one on one with Stobbart before smartly finishing low to the keeper's left hand side, 5-1.
Bury though struck back two minutes later, Ethan Flack fed Charlie Smith into space, the attacking midfielder then tried his luck at goal from 35-yards out, with his fierce strike at the top left-hand corner spilt into his own net by Button, 6-1 Bury.
Felixstowe on the other hand grabbed a second consolation in the fifth minute of stoppage time, Marcel Kiwumya made it 6-2 after his low shot was deflected past Stobbart into the bottom right hand corner.
An entertaining game then drew to a close, with the Blues' Under-23's, whose next two games see them travel to Haringey Borough and Brightlingsea Regent, next at home on Monday 21st November, against Brentwood Town. In the meantime the Under-18s travel to local rivals Walsham Le Willows on Thursday (3rd November), with their next home game against Saffron Walden Town on Monday 14th November.
Bury Town:-
1 Dan Stobbart
2 Jack Utting
3 Harvey Mills
4 Callum Drakard
5 Maxwell Willcox
6 Theo Carter
7 Charles Smith
8 Ryan Jolland (c) (Curtis)
9 Cruis Nydazayo (68' Piereira)
10 Cameron Nicholls (68' Flack)
11 Jack Maher
Subs:
12 Sansaw Piereira
14 Ethan Flack
15 Ben Curtis
16 Louis Crozier-Flatts
Felixstowe + Walton United:-
1 Kieran Button
2 Harry Blackburn
3 Dan Berry
4 Noah Harewood
5 Sam Donnelly
6 Dan Horton (c)
7 Marcel Kiwumya
8 Rory Porter
9 Tommy Smith
10 Charlie Hooley
11 Marcus Curtis
Subs:
12 Luke Warren
14 Cameron Compton
15 Johnny Uke
16 Mesiah O'Connor
17 Mo Sylla
Booked: Curtis (74').
Sin Binned: Horton (58').
Goals: Nicholls (24', 51', 67'), Nydazayo (37', 42'), C.Smith (90'+3'); Compton (90'+1'), Kiwumya (90'+5').
Goals in order: 1-0 Nicholls (24'), 2-0 Nydazayo (37'), 3-0 Nydazayo (42'), 4-0 Nicholls (51'), 5-0 Nicholls (67'), 5-1 Compton (90'+1'), 6-1 C.Smith (90'+3'), 6-2 Kiwumya (90'+5').
Wednesday, 26 October 2022
Nuneaton Borough v Needham Market | 25.10.2022 | The Pitching In Southern League Central Premier Division Game 11 |
Knights' Late Header Earns Needham A Deserved Point
An even encounter at Nuneaton Borough's Liberty Way ends in a share of the spoils as Needham Market respond from Saturday's defeat at Stratford Town with a good all round team performance on Tuesday night.
Sunday, 16 October 2022
Needham Market v Maidstone United | 15.10.2022 | Emirates FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round |
Ingram volleys Marketmen to FA Cup History
Thursday, 6 October 2022
Great Yarmouth Town v Needham Market U23 | 05.10.2022 | Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties League Challenge Cup 2nd Round |
Saturday, 1 October 2022
Needham Market U23 v AFC Sudbury Reserves | 27.09.2022 | Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties League First Division North |
Sporting 87 v Benhall St. Mary | 01.10.2022 | Macron Suffolk & Ipswich League Senior Division |
Tuesday, 27 September 2022
Kings Langley v Needham Market | 26.09.2022 | The Pitching In Southern League Central Premier Division, Game 9 |
Needham Market v Mickleover | 24.09.2022 | The Pitching In Southern League Central Premier Division, Game 8 |
LAY AT THE DOUBLE AS NEEDHAM PICK UP THREE WINS IN ALL COMPETITIONS
A goal in each half from Jacob Lay moves Needham up to fifth, into the playoff places, following a 2-0 home win over Mickleover at Bloomfields.
Manager Kevin Horlock made three changes for his side's return to Pitching In Southern League Central Premier Division action, after the 2-0 Emirates FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round win over lower league side Sheringham, former Academy Graduate and goalkeeper Finlay Shorten made his second first team debut, following his summer return, in place of the injured Marcus Garnham, with Jake Dye in for Hugh Cullum and Charlton Athletic loanee Ryan Viggars leading the line instead of Jamie McGrath.
The Marketmen dominated proceedings for large periods of the encounter, which saw both sides reduced to ten men before the interval, rounded off by a brace by the in-form Jacob Lay, who is now the team's top scorer with five goals in his last four appearances.
In truth, shots on target were ultimately at a premium for either side, as the home side defended resolutely to keep their third consecutive clean sheet.
The Marketmen had an early chance after 3 minutes, Ross Crane's corner found Christian Frimpong in space at the near post, but the midfielder's flick went wide of the near post.
At the other end, good defending from first Kyle Hammond and returning goalkeeper Finlay Shorten denied Watt twice in quick succession two minutes later. After Watt was threaded through onto the left-hand side of the box, the latter fired a good low shot towards the near post, although Hammond was well placed sliding down to divert it behind the near post for a corner.
From the resulting set-piece, Watt was found free at the far post but his heavy touch was well held by goalkeeper Finlay Shorten.
The Marketmen meanwhile went close again themselves on 8 minutes, a great ball over the top from Patrick Brothers released Jacob Lay through inside the box, the winger then smashed a great ball across goal towards Ross Crane but was hacked behind by Dolan.
Davidson-Miller meanwhile unleashed a 30-yard fierce snapshot wide of Shorten's bottom right-hand corner on 11 minutes, while the striker's strike from inside the box, a minute later, was well held by Shorten at his bottom near right-hand corner.
Patrick Brothers then fired a fierce 30-yard shot over the bar on 13 minutes, while the Marketmen broke the deadlock after 21 minutes. Ross Crane's right wing corner was flicked on well by the towering Dan Morphew, the ball then fell to Jacob Lay from 3-yards out who cooly poked home his fourth Needham goal through the 'keeper's legs and into the middle of the net, 1-0 Needham.
The goal galvanised the Marketmen, who quickly went close again after 27 minutes, Lay threaded Jake Dye through on the overlap, down the left-hand side of the box, the full-back's shot though, following his dangerous jinking run towards goal, was headed just past his own near post by Butler, who recovered well to hack it away and prevent a corner.
Six minutes later, after Kyle Hammond became the first player to be cautioned for a foul out on Mickleover's left wing, the visitors were denied by the woodwork, as a header across goal crashed back into play off the face of the left-hand upright.
Hammond though was soon shown a second yellow card a minute later, reducing the Marketmen to 10 men after 34 minutes, although Mickleover were also reduced to ten men just 7 minutes later, after Joseph Bateman was shown a straight red card for a bad tackle on Noah Collard on the halfway line.
Mickleover though had the final chance of the opening half as Dale's long range strike crashes back into play off the face of the top right-hand post, as far as the lurking Bennett whose close range shot went straight into Fin Shorten's chest.
The Marketmen started the second half brightly, almost doubling their advantage on 48 minutes, after Ryan Viggars was ruled offside as the striker's shot was smothered behind by the onrushing goalkeeper Jonathan Headge, some great play from the Marketmen was desperately close to a second Needham goal. Noah Collard started the move by feeding Ryan Viggars, who in turn teed up Patrick Brothers, the latter whom exploited space well to drive onto the left-hand edge of the box, but for his low shot to go agonisingly a centimetre wide of the bottom far corner.
Ten minutes later, Viggars was so close to latching onto an inviting ball across the six yard box, at the near post, while Jake Dye's dangerous low ball across the face of goal was also just too quick for the striker to get on the end of on the hour mark.
With the Marketmen very much on top at this stage, the woodwork denied what would've been a sensational goal from Patrick Brothers, the midfielder's audacious curling strike towards the top near left-hand corner just rebounded wide off the outside of the upright.
However, with 14 minutes left on the clock the Marketmen were rewarded with a deserved second goal. The in-form Jacob Lay benefited from a sumputous ball over the defence from Patrick Brothers, before taking a great touch inside the box to beat the defender and onrushing goalkeeper and then slotting home into the gaping bottom far right-hand corner, 2-0 Needham.
At the other end, Davidson-Miller forced a decent save out of Finlay Shorten on 84 minutes. The stopper was equal to the striker's low shot across goal, from the edge of the box, parrying it away well down to his left hand side.
Mickleover meanwhile almost provided a late twist to the game, almost ruining Needham's run of clean sheets late on in the 2nd minute of stoppage time. The visitors threaded the forward through inside the box, although Jake Dye was alert to clear the shot off the line well to preserve his side's 4th shutout of the season.
It's a quick turnaround for the Marketmen, who will look to continue their 4 match winning run when they travel to Kings Langley on Monday (26th September, 7:45pm), for just their 3rd away game (all 3 league fixtures) of the season.
Needham Market:-
1 Finlay Shorten
2 Kyle Hammond
3 Jake Dye
14 Christian Frimpong
5 Keiran Morphew (c)
6 Daniel Morphew
7 Jacob Lay
8 Noah Collard (87' Fitzgerald)
9 Ryan Viggars (78' McGrath)
10 Patrick Brothers
11 Ross Crane
Subs:
12 Jamie McGrath
15 Evan Collard
16 Taylor Clark
17 Thomas Fitzgerald
18 Hugh Cullum
Mickleover:-
1 Jonathan Hedge
2 Jake Bennett
3 Rhys Dolan
4 Joseph Bateman
5 James Butler
6 Philip Watt (c)
7 Ryan Wilson
8 Mason Warren (59' Milner)
9 Jahvan Davidson-Miller (86' Moore)
10 Stuart Beavon
11 Andrew Dales (82' Fankwe)
Subs:
12 George Milner
14 Elliott Walker
15 Kai Moore
16 Ethan Mann
17 William Mbakop Fankwe
Booked: Hammond (33', 34'), Beavon (40'), N.Collard (41'), Hedge (41'), K.Morphew (70'), Brothers (73').
Goals: Lay (21', 76').
Needham Assists: D.Morphew (21'), Brothers (76').
Sent Off: Hammond (34' - 2 yellows), Bateman (40').
Needham Market pick up a third win and clean sheet in a row following an entertaining 2-0 home win over Mickleover.
The home side dominated the game for the vast majority, with neither goalkeeper majorly troubled during the afternoon.
The away side meanwhile had the first shot on target after 12 minutes, Davidson-Miller's low shot however was well held by home league debutant Fin Shorten.
Nine minutes later though the Marketmen broke the deadlock, Crane's corner was flicked on by Dan Morphew onto Jacob Lay who duly poked home from point blank range.
Soon after Jake Dye's dangerous shot-cross from close range was almost turned into his own net by Butler, while Kyle Hammond was shown two yellow cards within a minute after 34 minutes.
Mickleover's man advantage however didn't last long as Bateman himself was shown a straight red for a crunching tackle on Noah Collard.
Early after the restart, Patrick Brothers went close to doubling his side's lead, but fired just wide of the bottom far corner, before Ryan Viggars just couldn't latch onto Crane's inviting ball across the face of goal ten minutes later.
Brothers then saw a stunning curling strike denied by the outside of the post, while Jacob Lay doubled Needham's lead on 76 minutes.
Brothers' audacious ball over the top threaded the Star Man one on one with the keeper before slotting home his fifth goal of the season to ultimately seal the points for the Marketmen.








