Needham Market advance to the 4th Qualifying Round of the Emirates FA Cup following a clinical second half in a 3-0 victory over National League North side Peterborough Sports in Tuesday's replay.
Kevin Horlock's side made 1 change to Saturday's goalless draw, captain Keiran Morphew was back available following a sore neck and replaced the injured Reece Harris while Academy players Flynn Crosthwaite and Harrison Podd made up the substitutes bench.
The game was a lively end to end affair throughout, with Sports thundering a strike wide of the bottom right-hand corner, from outside the box in the 3rd minute.
Needham meanwhile had a great chance on 5 minutes, Kyle Hammond exploited space well on the right-hand edge of the box before spotting the goalkeeper off his line - although his on target looping shot was well held by the retreating goalkeeper.
Jacob Lay then broke through smartly down the left wing before seeing a cutback cleared 4 minutes later, while a terrific sliding challenge from Keiran Morphew moments later won back possession for the home side.
Sports though fired a shot over the top left-hand corner on 17 minutes, while a dangerous right wing Sports cross to the far post saw a header looped comfortably into Marcus Garnhan's chest 11 minutes later.
The last, and arguably the best, chance of the half however fell to Needham on 32 minutes, Luke Ingram was released smartly, one on one with goalkeeper Crook, on the left-hand side of the box whose tight angled, close range, low fierce strike across goal was parried away by the goalkeeper only as far as the onrushing Callum Page whose good strike was blocked. Jacob Lay then latched onto the rebound but could only fire over the crossbar.
After the restart, the Marketmen enjoyed the majority of the possession and made their home advantage count with Callum Page driving into space well on 54 minutes, but fired his low strike from outside the box comfortably at the goalkeeper.
However, the home side deservedly broke the deadlock a minute later courtesy of a sumptuous strike from Tevan Allen, after a mazy wrapping run onto the right wing byline from Jacob Lay saw the winger break through close to goal, his cutback into the six yard box though was palmed away well by Crook as far as Dylan Williams.
The midfielder then broke into the box smartly himself, but for a tackle to partially clear the ball as far as Tevan Allen on the left-hand edge of the box to fire a ferocious strike into the top left-hand corner, 1-0 Needham.
Needham kept the pressure on their higher league opponents and were awarded a penalty on 61 minutes after Luke Ingram's brilliant run down the left-hand side saw the forward get past Cann who bundled him down from behind. Up stepped Ingram, who blasted home the spot-kick superbly into the top left-hand corner, 2-0 Needham after 62 minutes.
Needham quickly had another chance on 63 minutes, after Ingram saw a shot blocked from outside the box, a mazy run from Tevan Allen saw the midfielder's cutback on the byline cleared away.
Allen again tested Crook with another well hit powerful strike on 67 minutes, great linkup play saw Callum Page threaded through neatly, and dangerously, down the left wing, the forward then smartly drove between 2 defenders into a pocket of space into the box before teeing up Allen whose low shot at the bottom left-hand corner was well held by the goalkeeper.
Ingram meanwhile fired a good strike narrowly wide of the top right-hand corner from the edge of the box four minutes later, while Page was fed into space once more from outside the box on 73 minutes, but fired just wide of the bottom right-hand corner.
At the other end, Sports looked to get back into the game with Marcus Garnham called into action with two good saves within 2 minutes. The first saw the ball laid off in space outside the box, but the low first time sidefooted shot was hit straight at Garnham on 77 minutes.
The second stop from Garnham though saw the Needham shot-stopper react brilliantly to preserve his side's clean sheet - who are still yet to concede in the competition in 4 matches (including the replay) - a right wing cross picked out a visiting player unmarked from close range at the back post whose great header was beaten away well by the smart reactions of Garnham, diving across to his right-hand side.
Needham however rubber stamped their spot in the fourth qualifying round by making it 3-0 on 85 minutes, goalscorer and Man Of The Match Tevan Allen - chosen by match sponsors George Barker and Marc Ling - exploited space well to shoot low from outside the box, albeit his shot was partially parried away by the goalkeeper with Jacob Lay on hand to get to the rebound first and tap home from point blank range ahead of the retreating goalkeeper.
Needham then saw a fierce strike denied well on 88 minutes, while Marcus Garnham was on hand to deny Sports again in the last chance of the night on 94 minutes.
A low cross was hit first time, in space from the edge of the box, towards the bottom right hand corner, but Garnham read it well to dive across and hold on brilliantly.
The Marketmen are back in cup action on Saturday when they host Isthmian Premier Division side Cray Wanderers in the Isuzu FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round on Saturday (3pm) in the second part of a Bloomfields double header, with the Under-23s at home to AFC Sudbury Reserves on the 3G Pitch (1pm) in the Thurlow Nunn First Division North.
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