Needham Market’s journey in this season’s Suffolk FA Cup is over after a spirited 3-0 defeat to holders AFC Sudbury at the home of Hadleigh United.
It was a second consecutive defeat at the semi-final stage against Sudbury for Needham as they battled hard and frustratingly conceded to Eva Frazzoni with half time in view.
The second half was also tight, and the higher ranked side were pushed all the way but eventually overcame the resistance with a quick late double from Leonnie Bezant and a second for Frazzoni.
National League side Sudbury had the opening chance of the game, but Danni Clarke was equal to an early one on one against Jade Barrett.
Needham settled and killed the early momentum and almost took a shock lead when former
Sudbury player Chloe Brame saw one cleared off the line after the keeper cleared it straight to her.
Clarke was called into action again before Needham had another chance to take the lead thanks to a tight Keira Topple effort, but the angle proved just a little too tight to nestle into the right side of the post.
It was looking like a stalemate at half time, but Frazzoni nodded home from a short corner routine that saw the second cross bent in perfectly for her to attack and find the corner of the net.
The second half was just as tight as the first with very few chances for either side and with that slender lead there was always a chance that Needham with one goal could get themselves back into the tie.
But in the last minute of the 90 Bezant made sure with a long-range strike before only a minute later Frazzoni added her second as she powered a shot beyond Clarke after it fortuitously fell to her from a Needham block.
It was always going to be a tough task to knock the holders out with the league gap and relative fortunes of both clubs this season, but it was a performance that should give so much confidence for the bigger battle of league survival coming up.
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