The clash of two struggling promoted sides went the way of the hosts Marine in a 2-0 victory, despite a strong second half performance in particular from the Marketmen.
Kevin Horlock's side were boosted by the return of Reggie Lambe, with Seth Chambers also starting ahead of Jake Dye who had a knock.
The home side though had the better chances in the first half, while the Marketmen did after the restart before being hit by a sucker punch second goal late on, to condemn the Suffolk side to defeat.
Needham started brightly with Seth Chambers winning the visitors a dangerously positioned free-kick on the left-hand edge of the box in the 3rd minute, although Tevan Allen's resulting set-piece curled just over the crossbar.
Great defending from captain Keiran Morphew prevented a clear shot at goal, from inside the box, at the expense of a corner in the 8th minute.
The resulting corner was headed clesr, with a shot from the second phase deflected safely behind for another corner, which was well defended.
Danny Cullum then flew up brilliantly high to his left-hand side to tip a shot over, meanwhile Blackburn Rovers loanee Atcheson though was booked for pulling back Tevan Allen in the only booking of the game on 19 minutes, while Enock Lusiama's thunderous low shot from distance dipped towards Danny Cullum's bottom far, right-hand, post before cannoning out of play off the woodwork on 21 minutes.
Marine then picked out Lusiama with a left wing cross to the far post 2 minutes later, the forward chested the ball down well before trying an overhead kick towards Cullum's top right-hand corner but the 'keeper was well placed to claim the ball well.
The home side then broke the deadlock on 25 minutes as Danny Cullum's punch rebounded in off James Brown.
Northampton Town loanee Josh Tomlinson then saw an audacious right wing cross into the six yard box headed away a minute later, while a low shot from distance at the your end was beaten away well by Cullum, across low to his near right-hand post after 31 minutes.
Cullum was again well placed, coupled with good defending to force Lusiama wide, to hold onto a low shot at a tight angle 2 minutes later, before a another good save from Cullum thwarted the home side in the 45th minute. A left wing cross was met by a low shot at point blank range, at the far post, which the stopper was well placed to dive down and hold onto.
Reggie Lambe saw a low shot held onto by the keeper a minute later, before Lusiama headed wide from a right wing cross to the far post.
Needham introduced Jake Dye for Josh Tomlinson at the interval due to injury, with the Marketmen quickly finding their rhythm - but couldn't quite find a breakthrough.
Luke Ingram's headed flick on set Seth Chambers through into the box, albeit the striker's shot was deflected narrowly wide by Atcheson for a corner on 47 minutes.
Chambers continued to cause a threat, smartly beating his man down the right wing, two minutes later, although his cross was cleared partially to Kyle Hammond arriving on the edge of the box, who volleyed over.
Chambers again got past his man superbly down the right wing on 55 minutes, this time the striker cut inside towards goal to shoot from inside the box, but fired an angled low shot just wide of the far corner.
Bermuda international Lambe then won the ball back high in the opponent's half, the forward cut inside smartly into a central area to shoot, only to be deflected with the home defence able to scramble clear on 59 minutes.
For long spells it looked like the Marketmen would be the next team to score, with Cullum forced into a routine save, holding onto a low shot at his bottom near corner on 63 minutes, while Chambers shot just wide moments later.
The Marketmen went agonisingly close to equalising three minutes later as Ingram broke onto the edge of the box only to see his thunderous deflected volley cannon back into play off the face of the crossbar.
The hosts broke quickly down the other end, but shot just wide of the bottom far corner from inside the box.
Marine then saw another low shot go just wide on 67 minutes, before Adam Mills replaced Lambe.
The home side then saw a cross headed just over at point blank range on 75 minutes, before Adam Mills' low shot was well held onto by the 'keeper.
Marine secured all 3 points with a quick counter attack on 81 minutes, after Kyle Hammond was dispossessed Fin Sinclair-Smith broke through into the penalty area to fire home past the onrushing Cullum.
Hammond and Dan Morphew made way for Lay and Fraser shortly after, as Needham continued to hunt for a consolation goal in the 3rd minute of stoppage time.
The Marketmen were ruing their luck when a right wing corner audaciously picked out captain Keiran Morphew at the far post, albeit his dangerous header back across goal was headed away by substitute Butler with Chambers lurking at point blank range.
Needham travel to fellow promoted team Leamington on Tuesday (7:45pm).
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