top of page

MARKETMEN STOP LOSING RUN WITH DESERVED DRAW


Needham Market moved off the foot of the league table with a well deserved 1-1 home draw with Spennymoor Town.


Kevin Horlock's side were boosted by the return of defenders Dan Morphew, who skippered the Marketmen, and Tommy Smith, while Dylan Williams returned to the bench - with Adam Mills dropping to the bench, but were without loanees Nico Valentine from Ipswich Town (injury) and Josh Tomlinson (Northampton Town), with the result a fair reflection of the game.


Both teams had half chances in the first 15 minutes, first Kyle Hammond was on hand to block a shot inside the box after 7 minutes, before Reggie Lambe saw a ferocious shot blocked from the edge of the box two minutes later.


Reggie Lambe meanwhile looked to thread Jamie McGrath through on goal with a brilliant ball over the top, but just evaded him as James rushed off his line to collect possession on 14 minutes.


In truth clear cut chances were few and far between at either end, until Luke Ingram, making his 500th Needham appearance rifled a shot from distance into James' chest - after tenacious play saw the winger win back possession, on 16 minutes.


Marcus Garnham meanwhile was on hand to turn Mondal's low shot behind his bottom left-hand corner a minute later, before Ramshaw's header hit the crossbar and was scrambled off the line from the resulting corner.


McGrath then headed Hammond's free-kick narrowly wide of the bottom corner on 24 minutes, while Ingram was threaded into space onto the right-hand edge of the box, only to see a low shot clawed behind by James at his near post seven minutes later.


McGrath saw a close range shot deflected wide of the near post from Tevan Allen's resulting corner, with the midfielder's following exquisite set piece just evade a queue of Red shirts at close range.


Spennymoor however pulled a shot wide of the bottom far, left-hand, corner on 34 minutes, before the visitors saw a shot, from in space on the right-hand edge of the box, palmed behind well by Marcus Garnham across smartly four minutes later.


Ingram then smashed a shot wide just before the break - after latching onto Jacob Lay's through ball after 40 minutes, as both sides went into the break level.


The Marketmen went agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock after the restart though, a right wing corner found Reggie Lambe's towering looping header back across goal at the far post, headed off the line inside a minute of the Bermuda international kicking off the second half.


Needham again looked to open the scoring on 47 minutes, McGrath broke through on goal down the left-hand side but fired wide at close range.


Jacob Lay was cautioned for a foul two minutes later, albeit the free-kick was headed straight at Garnham, with Dan Morphew then on hand to force a Spenny forward away from goal, as the shot was lashed wide into the side-netting on 55 minutes.


Great play from Needham saw Garnham's long ball forward flicked onto Lambe, who in turn fed Ingram through on goal, but the latter's shot went over, just before the hour mark.


Garnham was again on hand to parry away a low shot, low to his left-hand side on 60 minutes, before Hunter's thunderous half-volley, from just outside the box, was tipped wide by James, diving low to his near right-hand corner.


Quick thinking from McGrath saw the forward win back possession in the visitors' half after 74 minutes, although his defence splitting pass towards substitute Seth Chambers was intercepted by a defender at the expense of a throw-in.


Spennymoor however broke the deadlock on 77 minutes, Junior Mondal broke through on goal, rounding Garnham to find the bottom near corner.


Spennymoor blazed a shot over from close range on 85 minutes, while Needham continued to push for an equaliser.


Substitute Ollie Fraser met Ben Hunter's audacious left wing cross as the game entered stoppage time - but headed wide at the back post, before Garnham advanced to brilliantly deny Spennymoor in the 3rd minute of stoppage time with a starfish-esque diving save.


Needham refused to give in, and got their reward, after Adam Mills lasered a shot narrowly wide from distance, the hosts picked up a well earned point in the 95th minute. Ollie Fraser started the move with a mazy run, with Luke Ingram sliding Chambers through on goal to smash home into clinically the top left-hand corner.


Needham travel to familiar opponents Rushall Olympic on Tuesday (7:45pm).

Comments


bottom of page