Needham Market’s FA Cup Journey is over before the first-round proper, but it was a valiant performance against Norwich City at The Nest albeit losing 5-0.
The tier four league leaders were huge favourites, and their quality told although it took them 25 minutes to break the Needham resistance with Natasha Snelling getting a brace andMillie Daviss on the scoresheet.
They added two after the break with Snelling completing her hat trick and winger Holly Kennard heading home but it was a half to be excited by from a Needham persuasion.
As expected, Norwich dominated possession with Needham’s threat on the break as the main outlet and that nearly came to fruition early on as Cate Jackson let rip from about 25 yards, but her dipping shot could only kiss the top of the bar.
Norwich did take the lead, but it took 25 minutes with Snelling tapping home from close range after Norwich broke down the right-hand side.
The second was an action reply of the first, but Clarke blocked the initial shot and couldn’t stop the rebound from Davis.
Stoppage time was very dramatic as Norwich pushed for a third with Clarke denying Snelling a second before pulling off an outstanding one-handed tip from point black range onto the bar.
But Snelling wasn’t to be denied with a volley that even the inspired Clarke wasn’t getting close too with the last action of the half.
She then completed her hat trick with an element of fortune within the first five minutes of the half but instead of the floodgates opening, Needham stuck together and were unfortunate in not grabbing a consolation.
The front three of Jackson, Rebecca Stephenson and Annie Posnett had a threat all game and it was the latter who had a chance to go herself but passed instead and the opening was gone.
Jackson then hit the bar again but this time it was down to former Ipswich goalkeeper Sarah Quantrill and then Stephenson with the goal gaping saw her goal bound finish cleared off the line.
Posnett outran the defence again and this time shot but it narrowly drifted past the far post before Norwich rounded up the scoring with substitute Kennard nodding in from close range.
It was the end of this season’s cup run but a performance and resilience that shows this new look side may just be starting to click with results not far round the corner.
Meanwhile the Development Team have made it to the next round of the Suffolk League Cup with a large 6-1 win over Brantham Development side at Bloomfields.
Needham led 3-0 at half time thanks to a brace from Emma Drake before last week’s late hero Immy Porch added a third.
The visitors pulled one back after the break to get back into the game, but Needham were in the mood for more and duly added another three.
Chloe Taylor and Ashleigh Goddard added goals four and five before Taylor round up the scoring to send Needham to the next round and continue their solid start to this season.
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