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MARKETMEN RECORD COMFORTABLE HOME WIN

Needham Market record their first home league win at step 2 with a comfortable 3-0 victory over South Shields.


Kevin Horlock's side made 2 changes to the defeat at Oxford City two weeks ago, the suspended Dan Morphew and Seth Chambers - the latter dropping to the bench - making way for debutant Reggie Lambe and Adam Mills. Loanees Nico Valentine (Ipswich Town) and Josh Tomlinson (Northampton Town) returned to the bench.


The Marketmen started quickly out off the blocks and broke the deadlock after 4 minutes, Kyle Hammond'sckeft wing free-kick picked out captain Keiran Morphew at the back post to slide in and stab home at point blank range.


Two minutes later, Needham went close to doubling their lead as Adam Mills spotted goalkeeper Kyle Seymour off his line but shot just over from distance.


Needham continued to dominate proceedings as Jacob Lay picked up possession inside the box before driving onto the right-hand byline and seeing his low cross put behind for a corner in the 8th minute.


At the other end, South Shields had their only notable chance of the first half 3 minutes later, goalkeeper Marcus Garnham was drawn into a routine save, holding a shot comfortably at head height.


The Marketmen meanwhile forced a good save out off the onrushing Seymour on 17 minutes, Jamie McGrath's great through-ball released Adam Mills through on goal, down the left-hand side, but saw his shot parried behind by the onrushing 'keeper.


Lambe, who signed from higher league Braintree Town, then latched onto a good ball down the right wing into space but saw his first time scooped cross, into a dangerous area, well claimed by Seymour three minutes later, while Tommy Smith's left wing cross was controlled smartly by the chest of McGrath who exploited space to shoot, low across goal, but saw his effort held at the second attempt by Seymour, just ahead of Jacob Lay on 21 minutes.


Good defending from Needham blocked a shot at a tight angle, from inside the box, on 23 minutes, before Lambe saw a close range shot from Hammond's dangerous free-kick blocked behind for a corner 9 minutes later.


The resulting corner was cleared only partially back to Tevan Allen whose audacious cross saw Morphew double his and Needham's tally. The defender towered highest at close range to direct an empathic header into the net.


In quick fire fashion Needham were 3-0 up two minutes later, after Adam Mills' 25-yard ferocious shot was deflected away, debutant Lambe broke through on goal down the left-hand side of the box - after latching onto a great through-ball - before rounding the goalkeeper and finishing expertly into the bottom far corner.


To add insult to injury for the visitors, South Shields were reduced to ten men as Thomas Broadbent was sent off in the 41st minute for successive yellow cards, initially after a dangerous challenge on Jacob Lay with the second for kicking the ball away.


After the break, Marketmen continued to dominate possession, but were unable to add to their advantage.


MOTM Keiran Morphew, selected by match sponsors Datum Group Limited, went close to completing a hat-trick five minutes after the restart. Kyle Hammond's left wing free-kick from distance was swung into the defender whose header towards goal was well gathered by the goalkeeper off his line.


Morphew again went close to netting his third goal of the afternoon on the hour mark, this time a low right wing free-kick found the latter free on the near side of the box whose shot looping towards the top corner was tipped over by the goalkeeper.


Horlock's side introduced Luke Ingram and Ollie Fraser in place of McGrath and Mills two minutes later, while Marcus Garnham was alert to claim a free-kick around the penalty spot on 63 minutes.


Tommy Smith meanwhile fed goalscorer Lambe into space, just outside the box, as the forward turned smartly to shoot but fired his shot just over the crossbar a minute later.


Defender Josh Tomlinson was introduced, after being unavailable following concussion, in place of Ben Hunter in the 69th minute, followed by Kyle Hammond latching onto Allen's low corner outside the box, only to see his low shot deflected behind off a defender on 72 minutes.


A minute later, Needham went close to adding a fourth goal as Luke Ingram latched onto a loose ball into the South Shields penalty area before rounding Seymour and poking a shot towards the bottom far, right-hand, corner but for his shot to be cleared away crucially by defender Bramwell.


Needham made their final two changes as Nico Valentine made his second debut for the club in place of goalscorer Lambe, with Seth Chambers replacing Lay.


Both goalkeepers though were forced into a brilliant save each a minute apart. First Marcus Garnham flew across high to his right-hand side to deny the visitors a consolation, with Kyle Crossley's rebound ruled out for offside on 79 minutes.


The home side on the other hand saw Tommy Smith's exquisite curling shot tipped over by the diving Seymour, across to his top left-hand, far, post.


Needham went agonisingly close once more in the 81st minute, Ollie Fraser broke through down the left-hand side to square a great ball across the six yard box which just evaded Valentine arriving at the far post.


South Shields scooped a shot wide of Garnham's far post in the first minute of five additional minutes, although Valentine was thwarted by Seymour in the 94th minute.


The winger was threaded through onto the right-hand side of the box but saw his shot well saved by Seymour, who pounced onto the loose ball just ahead of the onrushing Chambers.


Needham face Long Melford on Tuesday in the re-arranged Endeavour Automotive Suffolk Premier Cup second round tie at the Ecologic Stadium Bloomfields (7:45pm).


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