A DRAW IN BEDFORD

Needham Market maintained their unbeaten run with a hard-earned comeback from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 away at third placed Real Bedford.

Ollie Saunders and Reggie Lambe returned to the starting eleven in place of Seth Chambers and the injured Joe Neal, both of whom were named on the substitutes bench, with Reserves captain Kellen Fiddy also on the bench.

Real Bedford broke the deadlock in the opening minute after James Bradbrook's was deflected into the net off Josh Allen, but that didn't deter Needham's good performance.

Kyle Hammond (7') saw a his shot from the half-way held by the retreating keeper, after catching him off his line, while Ollie Saunders (9') broke onto the left-hand byline to cut a brilliant ball across which narrowly evaded Ingram.

Reggie Lambe (17') was fed free outside the area but blazed over, before Saunders earned another corner smartly, resulting in Ingram's low dangerous ball needing to be cleared.

Jake Dye (18') met an excellent left wing cross at close range whose looping header was tipped over, though the hosts doubled their lead on 20 minutes.

Bradbrook thwarted goalscorer Allen at point blank range at the near post, who turned home the rebound into the bottom far corner.

Still, the Marketmen weren't fazed, Hammond's excellent (27') right wing corner into the 6 yard box was well held by the keeper, ahead of Tommy Smith being released through down the left wing two minutes later, to square a great low ball to Ingram in the middle, who in turn had his shot deflected just wide of the top left-hand corner for a corner.

Keiran Morphew met Hammond's corner at the far post, heading dangerously back into the danger area, but the home side were just able to clear after a scramble. The Needham skipper then met Hammond's (32') right wing corner only to head wide of the far post, after good play from Cowling.

Needham went close soon after, Hammond's (37') left wing corner was on target until the keeper clawed it off the line, albeit a free-kick was given for a foul on the stopper.

Great play from Needham (39') saw Cowling thread Ingram free inside the area to turn neatly to smash a great low strike at goal which the keeper parried away smartly low to his left.

Needham remained on the front foot to reduce the deficit, Ingram (44') was slotted through on the right-hand side whose great low squared ball just evaded Cowling.

Hammond (45'+2') saw a shot blocked after neat passing saw Saunders tee him up, as both Lambe and Hunter saw shots blocked in the area - the latter's flying over for a corner, as the first half drew to a close.

After the restart, Saunders' (48') interception saw the midfielder thread Smith driving down the left wing to find the former, in turn feeding Hammond outside the box whose strike was blocked.

Needham continued their bright start to the second half (50'), Saunders was found free on the right whose excellent low ball into the six yard box picked out Cowling only for his shot at point blank range to crash back into play off the underside of the crossbar, off the keeper.

Patient passing (53') saw Saunders shoot agonisingly just wide of the bottom far corner from just outside the area, before another big save from the Real Bedford stopper (56').

Dye was released free down the right to find Ingram, the winger's brilliant first time shot looped towards the roof of the net off Lambe which the keeper acrobatically tipped over.

Hammond's corner was tipped away, while Myles Cowling deservedly halved the deficit (61').

Hammond's free-kick was flicked on by Dan Morphew to the goalscorer free at the left-hand post in space from 8 yards out to head home.

Cowling (63') then met a right wing cross at the far post but his header across for Lambe was cleared.

Ingram (77') raced through onto the left-hand byline only to see his close range shot blocked by the keeper, while Bradbrook (83') comfortably held onto a dipping shot from 20-yards.

Needham went close on 85 minutes, Barker threaded Ingram through with a brilliant ball over the top whose cross was headed across by Cowling only for Chambers' point blank to be blocked on the line, as strong appeals for a penalty on Ingram were dismissed.

Eddie Barker (85') however earned the Marketmen a thoroughly deserved equaliser, brilliant play led to substitute Max Appauh exploiting space down the right to cross low to the Acady graduate, netting his first senior League goal cooly into the bottom right-hand corner, extending Needham's unbeaten run to 5 matches in all competitions.

Tom Rothery's side return to Bloomfields on Saturday for the first of 2 consecutive home matches, as league leaders Spalding United travel to Suffolk (3pm).