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 momentum 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').

Sent Off: Hammond (34' - 2 yellows), Bateman (40').