A WIN AT HOME FOR NEEDHAM MARKET WOMEN

Needham Market maintained their 100% record start to 2026 with a disciplined 3-0 home victory over Hertford Town.

Unlike last week it took a while for Needham to get ahead in this one, but they duly did on the half hour mark thanks to Megan McCrae-Robinson, and she went on to add a second with the last kick of the half.

Having that buffer meant it was more comfortable for the home side starting the second period and eventually top scorer Annie Posnett put the icing on the cake to make sure the points were to stay in Suffolk.

The game took a while to catch fire, but when it did it was spectacular as McCrae-Robinson picked up the ball in space some 30 yards out and arrowed one into the top left-hand corner.

There were not a huge number of chances in the first period barring that blockbuster hit but Hertford were unlucky to not go into the break level as Emma Nolan was denied by the bargiving the home side a massive warning shot.

But it was the impressive McCrae-Robinson that brought more comfort to the interval as with the last action of the half she added a second from just outside the box after Hertford got themselves into a huge defensive mix-up.

With that, Needham had their tails up and could have had a third as Keira Topple and Posnett were both denied from close range in the same move after more impressive work by Adele Stalnionis.

But that third goal was never far away and it unduly came only a few minutes later with Stalnionis the creator again although she will be disappointed to not have finished off a brilliant move herself as Posnett tapped home the reboundfrom the keepers save.

It could have been even better with McCrae-Robinson being denied a hat trick by the bar before Jae Lewis-Samuel saw a late shot tipped over.

But it was another brilliant victory after the mauling of Stanway last week, this was a comfortable controlled win with a clean sheet to add to make it an excellent start to the year.