It was fourth time lucky for Needham Market as they finally lifted the Suffolk Cup for the first time after dispatching tier seven side Bungay Town 6-0 at Colchester’s Job serve Stadium.
It was anything but easy in the first half as only Mia Etheridge’s goal separated the sides even if Needham dominated the chances and the possession.
But any notion of this being a close encounter was blown away by 4 goals in the first 15 minutes of the second period from Nicole Pannifer, Eva Hubbard, Lina Nagib and Ellie Rossiter before Etheridge added her second and the team’s sixth late on.
The first half saw Needham dominate but fail to capitalise on numerous chances thanks to combination of good goalkeeping and some poor finishing.
If people thought Daisie Gibbs will just be a spectator, then they were wrong as Bungay threatened a few times –especially ex town forward Zoe Cossey - keeping Needham on their toes.
The opening goal came midway through the first half when Etheridge was played in by Paige Wakefield and she calmly ran through to score.
Chances came and went as Bungay stayed firmly in it at the break.
But a blitz at the start of the second half killed the contest as Needham exerted their dominance.
First Pannifer doubled the lead after Bungay failed to clear from a Molly Hall header crashing off the bar before Hubbard added a third seconds later as she was played in.
Before 10 minutes had been completed of the second period it was four as Nagib scored the goal of the game afterpowerfully cutting inside from the left and unleashing a rasping drive that smashed in off the far post.
A fifth was added thanks to Rossiter racing clear and smashing low past the keeper before Etheridge headed her second into the final 10 minutes of the game from a corner.
A great crown of nearly 400 – majority backing Needham –revelled in the celebrations as everyone connected with the club celebrated finally getting their hands on the trophy.
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