A DRAW AT ST IVES

Needham Market extended their unbeaten run to three league games after a 2-2 draw at St Ives.

Tom Rothery made 1 change to the home win over Redditch last Saturday, Keiran Morphew (illness) was replaced by Ollie Saunders.

MOTM Joe Neal and birthday boy Luke Ingram gave Needham the lead twice in the second half, only to be pegged back by the Ives, who are unbeaten at home this campaign.

The Marketmen arguably had the better of the chances in the first half, but couldn't find a breakthrough, Luke Ingram's second minute sumptuous right wing cross almost found Joe Neal in the six yard box who couldn't quite connect, falling just behind him.

James Bradbrook a minute later meanwhile held onto a low shot well at his near, left-hand, post - while Kyle Hammond's right wing cross almost picked out Neal but was intercepted.

Ollie Saunders (9') was slid onto the left-hand side, free by Chambers, but saw his low driven strike deflected just wide of the bottom far corner by a defender.

A good spell from Needham (15') saw Hammond's corner into the box volleyed dangerously back in, which was recycled to Ingram to lash wide.

Neal meanwhile chested the ball smartly onto Ingram whose low fierce strike was well held by the keeper at his near post, before the former (18') stole the ball smartly midway through the hosts' half to drive inside on the left whose brilliant squared ball across goal jusr evaded Chambers sliding in.

Hammond and Hunter (20') both saw fierce efforts on the edge of the area blocked from the former's dangerous free-kick - after a foul on Saunders.

Bradbrook (21') then advanced smartly off his line to smother a close range shot away, prior to Neal (22') seeing a thunderous strike beaten over from the right-hand side.

The striker (24') soon had two strikes in succession blocked from the edge of the area, the second deflected just wide for a corner, though Hunter blazed over from 25-yards.

Hunter (28') following Hammond's short right wing corner saw a great delivery cleared out to Myles Cowling albeit the attacking midfielder fired narrowly wide of the bottom far corner.

Needham arguably had the better of the chances first half, though the hosts' had a couple of good opportunities, with the latest good chance for the Marketmen (39') fall from a great free-kick from Bradbrook as Cowling danced onto the left-hand byline only to see his low ball across the face of goal held by the keeper.

Chambers (42') broke onto the left-hand side but saw his clever cutback to Ingram at close range just intercepted and then cleared ahead of Neal.

Neal (44') saw a shot deflected over after a neat one two with Hammond, as Cowling (45'+1') weaved through the defence onto the left-hand side to find Saunders whose his cross just evaded Neal leaping highest at point blank range at the back post.

Ingram fired over a minute later, as Chambers (45'+3') broke into the box only to have appeared to had his legs taken as he was poised to shoot from behind though the referee was unmoved as the keeper collected the ball.

Straight from the kick off, Needham deservedly found the breakthrough within 30 seconds. Tommy Smith fired it into Joe Neal to brilliantly flick home into the top far corner.

Ingram (49') was fed free by a great run from Chambers on the edge of the area to jink past his man only for his strike to be held by the keeper.

The hosts though equalised (54') as a right wing long throw was turned home at the far post at close range.

Needham responded well, with Hammond (58') firing over the top far corner from a dangerous free-kick, after Cowling prompted a foul.

Bradbrook on the other hand (59') was at full stretch at his near post to tip a fierce strike over, which saw a far post header blocked off the line.

Max Appauh replaced Chambers, as Cowling (62') picked out Hunter whose far post header went just wide.

Appauh blitzed onto the left-hand byline past his man on 65 minutes but Cowling at point blank range just couldn't connect with the ball fired in.

Ingram (65') was hacked down in the area, duly converting on 66 minutes, smashing past the keeper into the bottom left-hand corner, which Bradbrook (68') preserved the lead brilliantly, flying up to his top left-hand corner to swat a strike behind.

The stopper then read play expertly on his left-hand side to narrow the angle and catch the strike.

Saunders (73') broke onto the left-hand side but saw his great pull back cleared, as Neal did likewise moments later but was offside as his effort was denied by the foot of the keeper.

Eddie Barker replaced Cowling, though Ingram kept like a salmon on 77 minutes to loop his header just over.

Needham pressed for a killer third, Smith (80') broke through the Ives' half before squaring to Neal outside the area whose first time shot stung the keeper's hands divimg across to his left at waist height.

Bradbrook (87') held onto a low near post shot at his left-hand side, Neal (88') saw a low strike straight at the keeper.

St Ives (88') were awarded a penalty, which was dispatched into the bottom left hand corner (90') sending Bradbrook the other way, forcing the Suffolk side to settle for a point.

Needham host Royston on Tuesday.

Manager Tom Rothery, felt frustrated not to walk away with a victory, "that's what I've just said to the lads really is, but I don't know, there's a lot of positives as well. I thought the performance was good again and that's what I've just said to the players in there. Overall, I think we've started to find a level of performance which is seeing us picking up consistently results.

This is never an easy place to come over the years. Since I've been at Needham, this is never an easy place to come. Obviously, they're unbeaten for a reason.

It's frustrating because their goal is late and I think it's quite soft as well. Frustrating, but like I said, there's still positives, definitely. It was a good goal (Joe Neal's). I thought the first half, obviously, they matched us up. I thought, especially towards the end of the first half, we started to get on top and then, obviously, come out in the second half and started really well.

A really good goal. Tommy and Ollie linked up well, obviously, Joe's finished really well. So, yes, just a nice goal, a really good goal.

Obviously, it gives us a platform to build on and that's, again, what I've said to the lads in there. Really, both the goals, I think the penalty's soft for them and they probably think our penalty's soft as well. But I thought the first goal was not great from us, obviously, that we've conceded.

Like I said, the second goal was really, really soft, I think, but, you know, hey-ho."

When asked if the illness and unavailability within the squad makes it a more pleasing point, he added, "that's exactly what I've said to the lads. There's a lot more positives than negatives. It's been a tough week. We haven't been able to train all week.

I've never known that in the 18 years I've been a manager. I've never had that where we've had so much illness that we've had to try and contain it and not train, which obviously isn't ideal.

Obviously, today, Keiran's not been able to, you know, he's been in bed all week. He's been in bed since Monday. Then you've got three or four of the lads that have come off their sick bed and managed to play 90 minutes today, which you wouldn't believe that with Ollie, Joe and Bradders and people like that, the performances that they put in.

So to do that off the back of a bad week for them, they deserve a lot of credit, and that's what I've said in there. So you've kind of summarised what I feel, really you know, yes, I'm frustrated, but there's also a lot of positives, and especially off the back of a really tough, not a tough week. Look, it's tougher weeks in the world, but it's a tough week from the point of view of there's been so much illness that I've had to try and contain it, and we haven't been able to train. So that's not ideal, is it? Bradders made two good saves, didn't he? I don't know about the amount, but yeah, he made two good. He did really well, come out really quick, was bright, off his line for two of the stops and smothered. So yeah, he did well. Look, Bradders is a good lad, he's a good keeper. So yeah, we expect that from Bradders.

"Tuesday is just about trying to, like I said, keep bringing consistent performances.

If we do that, then hopefully we'll keep picking up results. So it's just about, you know, Tuesday's a new game. Again, every game's tough in this league, so we know that. Royston are historically a really strong step three side. I know they're having a tougher season this season, but they're still a good side. So we've got to, you know, obviously hopefully have a better sort of preparation from an illness point of view.

Hopefully we get a few recovered and feel a little bit stronger on Tuesday and build another positive result and performance. It's just another point on the board away from home. We said it the other week, whenever you're away from home and you're picking up points, like we did at Stratford, then it's always important. Obviously you want to pick up three points as well, but every point away from home, you know, you take it, you put it in your pouch and you move on.

Like I said, more for me is the performances. I think we're putting a level of performance now where I kind of know what I'm getting from the lads. I feel, you know, if we keep delivering consistent performances and working hard like we are and doing all the ugly stuff well as well, then, you know, hopefully off the back of that, we'll keep picking up positive results.

And I do believe we're in a good place, but I still believe there's more to come. I really do believe that. I think there's more to come.

Ryan will be back and obviously we'll see on Keiran. But, you know, less hope. Like I said, he's been in bed since Monday.

So let's hope he has a better couple of days and he's available Tuesday, but Ryan will definitely be back. I don't believe there's any knocks in there. So just hope the illness gods are a little bit kinder to us this week."