Needham Market U18 v Soham Town Rangers U18 | 03.09.2026 | Bloomfields | FA Youth Cup Preliminary Round |
Aden Chandler's 87th minute winner sent Needham Market Under-18's through to the First Qualifying Round of the FA Youth Cup, after an entertaining 3-2 victory over Soham Town Rangers at Bloomfields.
Soham led at the half-time break after an early goal (7'), following a goal-line clearance and hitting the crossbar.
Top scorer Dawson Coldwell (49'), who now has 5 goals in his last 3 games, levelled proceedings shortly after the restart, reacting quickest after his initial shot was saved. Kyle Roper's stunning low curling finish (64') gave the young Reds a 2-1 advantage, but for Max Green (67') to soon equalise one on one.
Aden Chandler (87') promptly settled the tie, to avoid a penalty shoot-out, slotting home neatly after Alex Breeden's shot was saved by the goalkeeper.
The visitors however started on the front foot, Vincent Miller (2') saw an early shot well blocked by Tyler Wright, as Oscar Kaloo's (4') half-volleyed shot on the left-hand side was well blocked and cleared.
Soham (5') swiftly broke the deadlock, the visitors' left wing corner was pushed away by Jake Bloom, off his line, the following header was hooked off the line expertly by Grimmer, as the rebound cannoned back off the top of the crossbar only to be turned home at point blank range.
Soham (11') went close to a second, Max Green spotted Bloom off his line but his clever 30-yard chipped strike went just wide of the top right-hand corner.
At the other end, Needham had a half-chance (15'), a great cross-field ball picked out Aden Chandler on the right wing to drive into space to shoot low at the near post, which Owen Taylor held after initially spilling.
Needham gradually grew into the game, Josh Tennial (21') worked space to shoot from 20-yards out but his effort was blocked.
Tyler Wright and Alex Breeden combined smartly down the left wing (29') as the latter earned a corner, whch just evaded Dawson Coldwell unmarked at the far post at close range.
Alex Breeden (33') then weaved past two markers, although he was dispossessed just before he could thread Coldwell through on goal, as Leyton Coote had an effort blocked a minute later.
Aden Chandler (35') drove into space onto the right-hand edge of the box, only to skew his shot narrowly wide of the bottom far corner, while Breeden's (38') left wing cross-shot was diverted behind by the keeper.
Needham shot narrowly wide on 39 minutes, while a big stop from Jake Bloom (43') thwarted Green.
The winger drove through onto the left-hand side albeit his fierce strike was expertly beaten behind, with Bloom on hand to hold following the corner.
Oscar Kaloo (45') was fed just outside the box but his low shot was straight at Bloom, before Soham (45'+1') fired just wide of the bottom right-hand corner in the penultimate touch before the interval, at which Soham led by a goal to nil.
After the break, Needham quickly got back on level terms, good shielding from Fenton Grimmer (49') to hold off his man to allow Bloom to gather, the goalkeeper kicked a brilliant ball over the top to release Coldwell through one on one whose initial shot was saved by the onrushing keeper, but was on hand to net the rebound, finding the bottom right-hand corner.
Swiftly after, the home side went close (50'), Aden Chandler ghosted free down the left-hand byline but the ball just evaded Coldwell.
Galvanised by the goal, Luke Betts' side went close again (51'), Josh Tennial was the latest to break through on the left byline to square dangerously across goal but the ball flashed away, as Tennial then watched an effort deflected away from goal.
The young Reds continued to create a flurry of chances, Alex Breeden (54') met a left wing corner at the far post but Taylor parried it away from close range, ahead of Bloom (55') denying Soham.
The Needham stopper was down expertly at his near, right-hand, post to smother a cross-shot behind at a tight angle.
Needham took the lead with a great finish in the 64th minute. Captain Max Roper exploited space just outside the area to wrap an excellent strike into the bottom right-hand corner.
Soham however responded quickly in an explosive second half, equalising on 67 minutes, Max Green was released through one on one to find the bottom corner.
Jake Bloom (76') was forced into a huge save, the keeper stood firm to beat away an 8-yard volley following a corner.
Tennial was booked for a foul (78'), as Finlay Brock (79') drove onto the left-hand byline, only to see his dangerous cut-back cleared.
Alfie Mark (80') meanwhile directed a looping header from a good right wing cross just over onto the roof of the net, prior to Leyton Coote's (84') 30-yard free-kick being deflected off the wall.
Finlay Brock (86') drove clear on goal and was about to shape to shoot until Drayton's perfectly timed sliding challenge prevented a clear shot at goal from 8-yards out.
Luke Betts' side restored their lead, and grabbed what proved to be the match-winner on 87 minutes.
Alex Breeden's low strike was denied by Taylor, low to his left, but only as far as the onrushing Aden Chandler, on hand to slide home the rebound to make it 3-2 to Needham.
Soham nearly sent the tie to penalties in the fifth added minute, with the final major chance of the evening, though the visitors rifled a powerful strike on the half-volley, from just outside the area, just wide of the top right corner.
Needham Market progress to the 1st Qualifying Round, and look ahead to a third home League game on Thursday (10th September, 7:45pm) against Framlingham Town.
MOTM and match-winner Aden Chandler said, "yeah, buzzing, obviously, 3-2 game. We weren't happy with the performance in the first half, we came out slow, second half a massive improvement. The desire to win the ball back every second ball we were there, shouting for the balls, making the team positive."
On responding from a goal down at half-time, "obviously, we knew we had it in us to come back and score more goals and it came out that we did. As I said in the first bit, we weren't happy with what we'd done, so we wanted to prove to people that we were going to do what we did.
"Three brilliant goals. One came from Kyle, edge of the box, hit it nicely. First one, Dawson, desire to win the ball back after the keeper spilled it and finally my one at the end that secured the win."
On netting the winner, "buzzing. Obviously, it's late in the game, if someone's got to score, it's going to penalties. Luckily, I was there at the right moment, right time, slot it back in the net, enjoy it with the boys, celebrating. That was my second late winner. In the under-16s, we had a cup final, scored last-minute winner to secure the win, so it always feels good.
"It is joyous (in the changing room). The speaker was dead, but we found a new one, so we're buzzing with that so we can celebrate."
Looking ahead to a home league fixture against Framlingham Town the attacking midfielder said, "yeah, obviously we need to recover, get training back in, practise on some more things, get an even better performance next week."
Needham Market:- 1 Jake Bloom, 2 Leyton Coote, 3 Tyler Wright, 4 Fenton Grimmer, 5 Jack Nunn, 6 Riley Parker, 7 Aden Chandler, 8 Josh Tennial, 9 Dawson Coldwell, 10 Kyle Roper (C), 11 Alex Breeden. Subs: 14 Alfie Mark, 15 Charlie Fox, 16 Ellis Beech, 17 Danylo Konik, 18 Dan Thompson, 19 Finlay Brock, 1 Freddie Foreman (GK).
Soham Town Rangers:- 1 Owen Taylor, 5 Ashton Blunt, 4 Daniel Drayton, 15 Archie Coogan, 16 Archie Briggs, 8 Archie Ashton, 6 Reuben Geach, 11 Finley Sayward, 9 Vincent Milner, 17 Oscar Kaloo, 7 Max Green. Subs: 13 Max Williams, 10 Emile Kwiecien, 12 Miguel Misipo, 18 George Newell.
Booked: Wright, Tennial (78').
Goals: Coldwell (49'), Roper (64'), Chandler (87'); (5'), Green (67').
Needham MOTM: 7 Aden Chandler.
Att: 82.
Club news
CHANDLER'S LATE WINNER SENDS NEEDHAM THROUGH TO FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND OF THE FA YOUTH CUP
