Needham have started the new season with back-to-back league defeats after suffering a harsh 3-0 defeat away at Bowers & Pitsea that doesn’t reflect what was a very competitive game.
The first half was very attritional with only the strike from Emma Walpole being the only shot on target as chances for both sides were few and far between.
The second half saw two more long range strikes from first Abbey Dell and Darcy Drewitt with Needham hitting the woodwork on three separate occasions that could have given the game a much different complexion.
Needham gave another debut to midfielder Chole Brame and for her and the team it was a solid first 20 minutes as both teams took a while to settle in the early stages.
But it was with the first attempt at goal that saw the opener as Needham failed to clear from the edge of their box and Walpole grabbed some space to arrow one into the roof of the net beyond the despairing hand of Danni Clarke in goal.
Bowers almost doubled it minutes later with a ball over the top but it was Needham who finished stronger with chances for Millie Baggott and Annie Posnett as they started to get a head of steam going into the break.
The second half couldn’t have started worse with the most unfortunate goal as a deep cross from the right floated all the way against the back post and into the net from Dell.
After that it was all Needham with first Cate Jackson hitting the post cutting inside, followed by Becca Stephenson hitting the post doing the same thing.
Keira Topple then saw a goal bound effort saved as they just couldn’t get the ball in the net before Drewitt scored another long-range effort to kill the game.
Clarke made an excellent save as Bowers hit on the break, looking to add more gloss to a game that was tighter than the scoreline reflected.
There was still time for Stephenson to hit the
post again late on but although the scoreline doesn’t reflect a good result it was by far a much-improved performance and one that can give some optimism for future fixtures for this young side.
Opmerkingen