DRAW AT QUORN MEANS NEEDHAM STAY IN 4TH

Needham Market extended their unbeaten run to five games, following up 4 successive wins with a draw at 8th place Quorn.

Tom Rothery made 1 change to Wednesday's draw at Stourbridge, Reggie Lambe starting in place of the injured Joe Neal. The other alterations came on the bench, with Academy players Brad Smith and Flynn Bobby joining teammate James Coton.

Ben Hunter (7') whipped a great ball over the top towards Myles Cowling racing onto the left-hand side, but for the keeper to rush out to the edge of his box to parry it away.

Jack Duffy (10') however broke the deadlock for the hosts, latching onto a squared ball from the left to turn home into the bottom near corner.

Needham responded, Reggie Lambe (15') teed up Cowling arriving onto the edge of the box only to fire narrowly wide of the bottom near corner.

Bradbrook (19') smartly claimed a right wing corner at his far post, while Ollie Saunders (23') was slipped through onto the left-hand side by a great ball over the defence whose fierce half-volley was beaten away by the keeper.

Cowling (36') latched onto a good ball down the left to see his shot deflected behind for a corner, though Needham deservedly equalised five minutes later, through Tommy Smith's 2nd goal of the league season.

After arguably dominating proceedings since conceding, Ollie Saunders threaded Myles Cowling driving down the right, only for his close range to be smothered away well by the stopper, which Cowling held onto the rebound, twice beating the stopper as Needham recycled possession. Reggie Lambe threaded Tommy Smith into acres of space down the left, the full-back's initial effort was smothered by the keeper but for the rebound to cannon into the net off Smith.

A smart stop from the home keeper thwarted Needham from taking the lead (45'). Great neat passing once more saw Kyle Hammond slip Chambers through onto the left-hand side whose great low strike across goal was palmed away.

After the restart, Needham started brightly, Hammond threaded Chambers through onto the left-hand side whose low cross-shot was held by the keeper.

Needham took the lead (50'), Hammond's excellent 30-yard free-kick on the right was lofted perfectly to Myles Cowling free at the far post whose excellent control saw him round the keeper to turn into an empty net for his 9th league goal of the campaign!

A good chance for Needham saw the keeper dive low to his right to hold onto Chambers' low ball after good work from Dye.

Chambers was replaced by Appauh (60'), prior to Needham having a brilliant double chance a minute later.

A superb counter attack saw Hammond exploit space to tee up Lambe free outside the area, the midfielder jinked inside his man to wrap a good low shot across towards the bottom left-hand corner which cannoned back into play off the base of the post, falling to Cowling whose looped shot back across goal was swatted away by the Quorn stopper.

Needham remained dominant, forcing another save (69'). Hammond's cross from deep, after Keiran Morphew latched onto his low free-kick, was held up well by Dan Morphew after his initial shot was blocked - which appeals for handball were dismissed. Dan Morphew in turn teed up Lambe, just outside the area, to lash low at goal but the diving keeper held onto it low down to his left-hand side.

Appauh was then thwarted by the keeper, drifting onto the left-hand side only for his curled effort towards the near post to be vitally pushed behind by the flying keeper (73').

Quorn though began to have more of the possession as time wore on, as they hit the crossbar (77'), as Cowling ran into space (88') to shoot across goal from the right-hand side only to drag it wide.

Bradbrook (90') plucked a ball out of the air at his left-hand post before Quorn were awarded a penalty after Dan Morphew was adjudged to have handled the ball.

Zak Goodson (92') netted his 22nd goal of the campaign, just beating Bradbrook from the spot, finding the bottom left-hand corner, as the home side skied over from point blank range (93').

Match Reaction https://youtu.be/nztHtQagmoM?si=WyW0hQa0cpkAkBND

Needham switch focus to Tuesday's Endeavour Automotive Suffolk Premier Cup Final, against Felixstowe + Walton United (7:45pm, at Bury Town).