Needham Market suffer a disappointing 2-1 defeat at Basford United.
Manager Kevin Horlock named an unchanged side from Tuesday's home win over league leaders Tamworth with the only change coming on the bench as Seth Chambers came in for Hugh Cullum.
It was the Marketmen though that started on top and had the better of the chances in the first half hour, albeit Smith headed a left wing cross wide from point blank range at the far post after just two minutes.
The afternoon got off to the perfect start for the travelling Suffolk side, who took the lead a minute later. A well worked goal saw Man Of The Match Patrick Brothers break through in midfield, the midfielder then threaded Luke Ingram through into space down the right-hand side of the box to laser a great low strike, for his fourth goal of the season and second in the league, into the bottom far corner, 1-0 Needham.
Basford on the other hand had a half chance on 14 minutes as Chapman's low 40-yard free-kick was struck straight into Marcus Garnham's chest.Â
Kyle Hammond then swung a clever right wing free-kick in dangerously to Keiran Morphew at the far post, albeit Smith was first to it, heading the ball behind for corner, which saw Kyle Hammond make space to fire a rasping drive just wide of the bottom near right-hand corner on 18 minutes.Â
Luther Munakandafa however blasted a shot across goal wide of the top left hand corner two minutes later.
While the Marketmen were the better side in the first half, the Reds couldn't make their chances count, good passing play from the visitors saw Patrick Brothers feed Jake Dye through down the left wing, the fullback in turn neatly threaded Kaan Bennett through on the overlap, the latter then showed some clever skill as he drove on into the box, only for the goalkeeper to gather his low shot on 22 minutes.Â
The home side on the other hand saw a shot smothered well behind by Marcus Garnham at his near left hand post for a corner, which saw Anthony Dwyer's header comfortable for Garnham.Â
Basford then restored parity on 33 minutes, Anthony Dwyer found space on the right hand side of the box to fire home low into the net, 1-1.Â
But back came Needham, as the Marketmen went close six minutes later - Patrick Brothers played a neat one two with Jamie McGrath on the edge of the box, albeit the midfielder's fierce shot went over the crossbar.
It was very much a game of two halves however, as Basford were the better team after the restart. Declan Dunn won back possession three minutes after the restart, but the latter fired his shot wide of the top left hand corner.Â
Basford then saw a left wing cross headed just wide of the left-hand post by man in space at the far post on 52 minutes.
At the other end though, Needham had a good chance two minutes later, Kyle Hammond whipped a great long ball in towards Patrick Brothers, who couldn't quite control the ball with just goalkeeper Kieran Preston to beat.
Luke Ingram meanwhile forced a good save from Preston in the 57th minute, the forward broke through onto the edge of the box only to see his low shot on the half-volley blocked by the knees of Preston.Â
Six minutes later, the Marketmen had another good chance, clever play from Kyle Hammond saw the fullback's 60-yard goal-bound effort force Preston to retreat a few yards back to his goal-line and cruically parry the shot out.Â
Garnham on the other hand was forced into a good save, seconds later, the Needham stopper this time was down well to his right hand side to beat away Dunn's low strike, while Gregory Smith smashed just over the top near right-hand corner from outside the box after 66 minutes.Â
After Christian Frimpong saw his 30-yard effort go narrowly over the crossbar, Basford's Luther Munakandafa Jr saw his low shot across goal cleared off the line vitally by the well placed Kyle Hammond on 69 minutes.Â
At the other end six minutes later, Hammond again tried his luck at goal, but on this occasion fired a fierce 30-yard strike over the crossbar.
Dwyer however had a great chance for the home side in the 76th minute, the attacking midfielder dived in to latch onto a good ball in at the left-hand post only to head wide from close range.Â
Although the home side were more on top in the second half, chances continued to fall for the visitors - Christian Frimpong was first to a Patrick Brothers corner, only to direct his free header wide of the far post on 78 minutes.
 Basford though took the lead two minutes later, Keiran Morphew's header fell to Courey Grantham in space down the left-hand side, the winger squared the ball across to Gregory Smith sliding in to poke home the winning goal into the bottom right hand corner, 2-1.
Substitute Ross Crane looked to almost immediately draw Needham back on level terms with the penultimate chance of the game on 82 minutes, the winger found space to fire a good strike at goal from the right-hand edge of the box, albeit his effort went just wide of the bottom far corner, before Dan Morphew tried his luck at a late equaliser with the last chance eight minutes later, firing a decent strike over the bar.Â
Kevin Horlock's side remain ninth in the table six points away from the playoff places, but have two games in hand, ahead of a trip to eleventh placed St Ives Town on Saturday (19th November, 3pm) in their second of four straight away matches.Â
Basford United:-
1 Kieran PrestonÂ
2 Brad McGowan
3 Joshua Barnes
4 Adam Chapman (79' Clark)
5 Dominic Roma
6 Lewis Carr
7 Luther Munakandafa Jr
8 Declan Dunn
9 Gregory Smith (c) (90' Bertram)
10 Anthony Dwyer (79' Palmer)
11 Courey Grantham
Subs:
12 Oliver Clark
14 Tyler Dacres
15 Tyreace Palmer
17 Gianni Mission (GK)
18 Riece Bertram
Needham Market:-
1 Marcus Garnham
2 Kyle Hammond
3 Jake Dye
14 Christian Frimpong
5 Keiran Morphew (c)
6 Daniel Morphew
7 Luke Ingram
8 Thomas Fitzgerald (60' Collard)
9 Jamie McGrath (74' Lay)
10 Patrick Brothers
11 Taykaan (Kaan) Bennett (58' Crane)
Subs:
12 Jacob Lay
15 Ross Crane
16 Noah Collard
17 Seth Chambers
18 Harry Knights
Booked: Grantham (5'), Dye (52'), Carr (55'), Munakandafa Jr (70'), Brothers (90'+3').
Needham Assist: Brothers (3').
Goals: Dwyer (33'), Smith (80'); Ingram (3').
Comments