Braintree Town v Needham Market | 22.09.2026 | Cressing Road Stadium | Emirates FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round Replay |
Reaction from Tom Rothery
Three second half goals knocked Needham Market out of the Emirates FA Cup, as Anisius Lewis' brace guided Braintree Town to a 3-0 victory.
Tom Rothery named an unchanged team from Saturday's 3-3 draw, with the Marketmen ultimately ruing big chances not falling their way with the home side taking full advantage at the other end.
Needham had a third minute long ball held by Barrett, while good run from Marcel Lewis (8') onto the left wing, deep in the Braintree half, saw the winger's dangerous cross low across the area cleared.
Needham went close in the 16th minute, Marcel Lewis broke smartly onto the left-hand byline whose excellent squared ball across the face of goal was turned just wide by Pearce, sliding in at the near post.
At the other end, Braintree (19') forced a good stop from James Bradbrook. Fletcher Hubbard drove onto a through-ball onto the right-hand side, though his near post strike was tipped over by the alert Bradbrook.
Braintree (20') had an effort from the corner deflected just wide of the bottom right-hand corner for another corner, before Kyle
Hammond's (31') left wing free-kick was creeping under the crossbar, albeit George Barrett claimed at his far post.
While Braintree had slightly more possession, Needham had the better chances.
George Evans (34') looked to latch onto a long ball close to goal, but the ball ran too close to Bradbrook to gather.
After a foul by Ben Hunter around 30-yards from his own goal, which prompted a caution, Afi Adebayo (36') fires the free-kick straight into Bradbrook's chest.
The Marketmen went agonisingly close again, Liam Pearce's (41') wrapped strike from the right-hand edge of the box wemt just wide of the bottom far corner.
The best chance at either end in the first half fell to Needham (43'),
Kyle Hammond's exquisite left wing cross was met by the towering Tevan Allen whose excellent header towards the top near corner was swatted away brilliantly by Ipswich Town loanee George Barrett.
After the restart, Marcel Lewis (47') weaved freely onto the left-hand edge of the box but shoots low and straight at Barrett.
Alex Bolovan (50') saw a dangerous free-kick blocked by the wall, while Liam Pearce (51') went agonisingly close.
Pearce was threaded clear on goal, in acres of space but shot AGONISINGLY just wide of the bottom right-hand corner.
The home side broke the deadlock (53'), harsh on the Marketmen who recieved a sucker punch having just gone close themselves, after cutback to Bolovan on the edge of the box wass wrapped home first time into the bottom far corner.
Braintree went close on 55 minutes Anisius Lewis (55') raced through but fired just wide of the bottom far corner.
Luke Ingram (56') replaced Marcel Lewis, moment before Liam Pearce again drove into the area but saw his shot blocked behind. Hammond's effort goes wide.
Needham created another good chance (60'), Keiran Morphew drifted onto the left-hand byline but his excellent cutback to Hammond was cleared.
The game was end to end until the Iron doubled their lead (63'). Anisius Lewis picked up a misplaced pass to spin through on goal and cooly finish low past Bradbrook in clinical fashion.
Ryan Miles (65') replaced Ollie Saunders, prior to Bradbrook producing a big save at full stretch across waist high to his right on 67 minutes.
Bradbrook (68') then denied a close range header from a clipped cross, a minute before Lewis netted his second goal of the night.
Anisius Lewis (69') hared down the right-hand side to fire home low into the net to pick up a quickfire brace.
Needham withdrew Dan Morphew and Pearce for Josh Curry anf James Coton (71'), ahead of Ben Hunter receiving his marching orders (73') for a second yellow card.
Bradbrook however held the resulting free-kick at his near post.
Louie Johnson (77') was fed free close to Bradbrook's right-hand post, only for the keeper to comfortably save.
Alfie Matthews (78') meanwhile latched onto the ball unmarked in the area with a golden chance to score, but his lobbed effort was weak as Bradbrook claimed.
Kell Fiddy (79') replaced Hammond, while Bradbrook dived expertly low to his right (87') to palm a shot behind, a feat he replicated mere moments later.
Needham (90') had a low shot held by the keeper, though ten man Needham exited the FA Cup following a 3-0 defeat at National League South opponents Braintree Town, but switch focus to Saturday's FA Trophy trip to Canvey Island.
Braintree Town:- 1 George Barrett, 2 Idreess Namisi, 6 Jet Dyer, 7 Courtney Senior, 8 Louie Johnson, 9 Anisius Lewis (C), 11 Fletcher Hubbard (84' Goredema), 15 Alex Bolovan (80' Okunowo), 16 Alfie Lewis (75' Swann), 20 George Evans (57' Matthews), 21 Afi Adebayo (80' Brown). Subs: 4 Reuben Swann, 10 Alfie Matthews, 12 Jacob Goredema, 18 Luis Brown, 22 Emmanuel Okunowo.
Needham Market:- 1 James Bradbrook, 2 Jake Dye, 3 Tommy Smith, 4 Kyle Hammond (79' Fiddy), 5 Keiran Morphew (C), 6 Dan Morphew (71' Curry), 8 Ollie Saunders (65' Miles), 11 Tevan Allen, 12 Liam Pearce (71' Coton), 16 Marcel Lewis (56' Ingram), 17 Ben Hunter. Subs: 7 Luke Ingram, 10 Ryan Miles, 14 Josh Curry, 15 James Coton, 18 Harlyn Palmer, 19 Kellen Fiddy, 13 Charlie Skinner (GK).
Booked: Ben Hunter (35', 73'), Courtney Senior (74'), Alfie Matthews (89'),
Sent Off: Ben Hunter (73').
Goals: Alex Bolovan (53'), Anisius Lewis (63', 69').
Club news
MARKETMEN EXIT FA CUP
