DEFEAT IN COLCHESTER FOR NEEDHAM MARKET WOMEN

Needham Market had one of those bad days at the office performance as they were comfortably beaten 4-1 on the road at Colchester United.

The first half didn’t see many chances, but Colchester were able to go into the break with a 2-0 lead thanks to Billie-Jo Williams and Lindsey Morgan.

Megan Foord made it the worst possible start to the second period for Needham and if that didn’t kill the game then another for Williams before the hour mark did with Keira Topple scoring a consolation.

The game started evenly with the hosts creating the best of the early chances as Danni Clarke was called into action early on to keep the scores level.

After that the game got bogged down in midfield with the home side still looking the most threatening without many goal scoring opportunities created.

But on 25 minutes the home side edged ahead as Williams rose highest within the six-yard box from a whipped in corner.

Needham did respond but failed to create anything of note with Topple’s deflected shot being the only shot on target in the half.

The visitors just had to see it out to half time but couldn’t as they failed to clear from the edge of their area with the ball – a bit fortuitously – eventually landing to Morgan, who lifted it over the on-rushing Clarke.

To concede just before the break makes life hard but to then concede another straight after effectively killed the game with Foord finishing off a neat move to beat Clarke at the near post.

Needham had a mountain to climb but that mountain became Everest with Williams grabbing her second as she hammered home from just a yard out after several defensive mix ups saw her gifted the ball on a plate.

Topple pulled one back only a few minutes later as she beat the offside trap and rounded the keeper to put into the empty net.

She had another very similar chance later but a heavy touch this time meant she couldn’t round the keeper and the chance was gone.

Annie Posnett had a powerful strike saved late on, but Colchester had chances themselves so a comeback in this was never really on the cards.

The development Team continues their fine form with a hard thought 2-1 win over Ramsey and Mistley at Bloomfields.

Former Needham midfielder Paige Wakefield scored for the visitors but the heroes for the home side were Paige Pugh and Megan Smith to add another three points to what has been a decent league season so far.