Needham Market continued their defence of the Endeavour Automotive Suffolk Premier Cup with a 3-2 penalty shootout victory over Michael Brothers' Ipswich Wanderers.
Kevin Horlock's side made 4 changes to the 1-1 home draw with Scarborough Athletic, Marcus Garnham, Seth Chambers, Tevan Allen and debutant Liam Cross started in place of Kyle Hammond, Luke Ingram, Reggie Lambe, Adam Mills (all on the bench), and Danny Cullum.
The higher league Marketmen dominated possession but found clear cut chances at a premium, with Brackley Town loanee Cross and Ben Hunter linking up well in midfield. First, Hunter saw a deep left wing cross-shot well held by Craig Brand at his near post after 3 minutes, before Cross weaved into space before feeding the latter in the 6th minute - but after finding space to shoot Hunter smashed his shot over the crossbar.
Great patient passing play between Cross, Jake Dye and Allen two minutes later, saw the latter skip into space down the right wing, though his dangerous cross into the six yard box was turned behind for a corner.
The first shot on target arrived in the 10th minute as Jake Dye fed Ben Hunter into space to shoot from 25-yards out, although his thunderous low shot towards Brand's bottom right-hand corner was well held by the keeper.
Cross went close himself on 13 minutes, the winger was released into space down the right wing but saw his audacious cross-shot curl just past the far post and remain in play. The debutant continued to impress, breaking into the box a minute later, only to see his fierce shot blocked.
Needham again went close on 17 minutes, Dye broke through smartly on the right wing before cutting the ball back to Tevan Allen whose first time shot went over.
Dan Morphew was replaced by Kyle Hammond on 25 minutes, while Tommy Smith bravely blocked Charles Barker's thunderous volleyed shot from just outside the box on 27 minutes.
The Reds momentarily thought they'd broken the deadlock 6 minutes later, albeit Seth Chambers was offside as the ball ricoshaded off Liam Cross through to the striker, who found the bottom right-hand, far, corner at point blank range.
The home side went close once more on 38 minutes, Ben Hunter broke through smartly onto the left-hand side of the box where his clever cutback found captain Keiran Morphew whose close range shot was hit wide.
Needham went agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock three times in the space of a minute, first Northampton loanee Josh Tomlinson - making his Premier Cup debut - had a close range header deflected just wide for a corner, which saw a shot crucially deflected just wide of the near post, with the following set-piece cleared away by captain Kris Rose just ahead of his own goal-line.
After the restart, it was the Marketmen who continued to enjoy more of the possession though Wanderers battled hard to take the tie to penalties.
Keiran Morphew found Cross in space to shoot just outside the box on 59 minutes, but fired agonisingly just wide of the bottom left-hand corner.
While Luke Ingram was introduced in place of Seth Chambers, Allen curled a shot from a dangerous position, just outside the box, wide on 65 minutes, as Needham introduced Adam Mills in place of Jacob Lay.
Craig Brand continued to keep Wanderers in the tie with a important save on 69 minutes, flying across to tip wide Allen's audacious left wing free-kick at his far post.
Needham went close twice more in quick succession, as the higher league side looked to win it at the death. Tommy Smith latched onto a right wing cross at the far post, but saw his cutback into the danger area turned behind by Callum Bennett on 84 minutes.
Allen's resulting corner cleverly picked out the towering Tomlinson at close range, though the defender headed just over.
Ingram then forced a terrific save from Brand just as the clock hit 90 minutes. Mills' long throw fell to the club's record holder at close range, albeit Brand was equal to the shot, flying up high to his left to tip it over.
Hammond then headed the resulting corner just over from close range, before Tommy Smith caught Brand off his line but shot agonisingly just wide of the left hand corner in the second of 4 added minutes.
Great play again from Mills saw the winger break through onto the right-hand side to square a dangerous ball across the six yard box on a plate for Ingram, but for the ball to just evade the latter on 94 minutes, as the game went to a penalty shootout.
Wanderers took first, with Marcus Garnham's first real involvement in the game seeing the 'keeper continue his impressive penalty saving record, diving down smartly to his bottom left-hand corner to beat substitute Teon Leggett's penalty away.
Regular taker Ingram took first for Needham, but was denied by Brand - again diving low to his left, blocking the ball with his legs.
Rhys Henry however saw his spot-kick crash off the underside of the crossbar, onto the line and back out, as Jake Dye stepped up for Needham's second.
The defender duly scored, confidently sending Brand the wrong way to find the bottom right-hand corner, 1-0 Needham after two each.
Chris Casement quickly levelled for Wanderers though, sending Garnham the wrong way to find the top right-hand corner, while Tevan Allen curled his spot-kick just wide of the top right-hand corner, after sending Brand the wrong way.
Henry Barley though shot over the top right-hand corner, as Ben Hunter regained Needham's lead as he sent Brand the wrong way to find the bottom left-hand corner.
Ben Stannard kept Wanderers' hopes alive, sending Garnham the wrong way to find the bottom left-hand corner, with MOTM (chosen by match sponsor Adie Gleed) Keiran Morphew stepping up with the chance to send Needham through to the semi-finals.
The captain duly obliged, sending Brand the wrong way to cool find the bottom left-hand corner and win the shootout by 3 goals to 2.
Needham return to National League North action on Saturday, away to 14th place Southport (3pm).
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