MARKETMEN ARE ONE GAME AWAY FROM THE FIRST ROUND

Tom Rothery made 2 changes to Tuesday's league game, Ollie Saunders and Seth Chambers started in place of Kyle Hammond and Jamie McGrath, both whom started on the bench, joined by Matty Tricker and Eddie Barker.

Witham however broke the deadlock on 6 minutes, firing a low shot from in space from distance past Bradbrook into the bottom near, right-hand, corner. 

Needham meanwhile had a good spell of possession, as Joe Neal smartly drove down the right wing before feeding Ollie Saunders whose 15th minute strike was blocked.

Neal and Seth Chambers meanwhile linked up neatly three minutes later, as a clearance was passed round the corner for Neal to latch onto down the right wing, who beat his man before slipping the latter through down the centre but shot narrowly wide of the far post. 

The duo worked another great chance 2 minutes later, Neal lifted a brilliant ball over the defence to release Chambers down the left-hand side whose tight angled low strike was smothered behind.

The Marketmen went agonisingly close on 23 minutes, Neal was fed through down the right wing into the area whose acute angled wrapped shot was just off target of the top far corner.

Neal saw a 25th minute low cross held by the keeper at his near post, while Seth Chambers duly equalised on 29 minutes.

Great play saw Keiran Morphew pick out Ryan Miles with a sumptuous long ball forward, the winger slipped Chambers through onto the left-hand side to expertly find the bottom left-hand corner. 

Two minutes later, Luke Ingram was adjudged to be in an offside position as he turned the ball home, while Joe Neal's right wing cross soon after went just wide of the far post. 

Ingram hit a dangerous 30-yard free-kick over on 40 minutes, as both sides went into the break level. 

After the restart, Ingram exploited space on the right-hand side on 47 minutes, albeit his clever clipped cross to the far post was headed away from Ryan Miles lurking dangerously at point blank range at the opposite post.

Jake Dye then shot over shortly after, as Reggie Lambe replaced Ryan Miles, and Kyle Hammond entered the frey in place of Ben Hunter. 

At the other end, Witham headed a far post corner just over onto the roof of the net on 62 minutes, while Chambers was broke down the right-hand side in space two minutes later only to see his shot-cross just evade both the right-hand post and Reggie Lambe.

Witham shot just wide of the bottom far corner a moment later, while Jackson Nsofor replaced Chambers.

Needham went mightily close on 71 minutes. Lambe slid Ingram free down the left-hand side whose low arrowed strike smashed across goal was beaten away as far as Neal whose great ferocious strike cannoned wide off the near post and behind off the keeper.

Jackson Nsofor latched onto the loose ball following the corner, but his strike was crucially cleared off the line. 

Witham however shot just off target soon after, before Needham broke the deadlock with 12 minutes remaining.

Kyle Hammond's excellent right wing freekick hung up perfectly for Luke Ingram to head it dangerous back across where Keiran Morphew headed it onto Jackson Nsofor to rifle home a brilliant strike into the far corner. 

Jamie McGrath replaced Neal, as Nsofor broke through rapidly down the right wing whose exquisite low cross into the six yard box saw Lambe's strike brilliantly blocked with McGrath just unable to get onto the loose ball. 

Witham rasped a shot just over with 90 seconds left of normal time, in a cup-tie that ended up being a battle, to Witham's credit. 

Needham await the Fourth Qualifying Round on Monday (expected to take place at 2pm on talkSPORT), and travel to Chatham Town in the Isuzu FA Trophy on Saturday (3pm). Coach leaving at 10:45am

Manager Tom Rothery gave his thoughts on our 2-1 win over Witham. 

DK: In the hat and another win under the belt? 

TR: Yeah, that's the most important thing. I don't think it was a classic, really scrappy game, but we won and that's all that matters in the Cup, so we can look forward to Monday's draw now and see who we get in the last qualifying round.

DK: Yeah, like you said, the most important thing is getting through, but how do you describe the performance?

TR: I didn't think we were very good, to be honest, but it was a very scrappy game. Obviously, conditions made it a little bit scrappy. Credit to them, they wanted it to be a scrappy game, they made it a scrappy game, and I think at times we played into their hands a little bit, didn't move the ball quick enough and allowed it to be more scrappy than it needed to be at times, but like I said, especially off the back of Tuesday, I think it's just important to get a win, so look, there's clearly things we need to do better, but we won, so that is the most important stat today and that is all that really matters. 

DK: Do you think we managed the battle today?

TR: At times we did. It's just very difficult when the game's really scrappy and they're playing really direct and they're fighting for everything. Again, give them credit. So, that then makes it really tough when the turnover is to them, and I think at times we got caught into playing their game rather than playing our game, and like I said, the conditions also added to that as well, but I thought we did better in stages, so there were stages in the first half where we did a bit better and then there were stages in the second half where we did a bit better, but overall it just wasn't a great performance. 

but it is the key really. 

DK: Yeah, it's churning out the results that matter.

TR: Well, I think I've just said to the lads, really, the pleasing thing from today is, well, the pleasing thing from today is obviously we're in the hat for the fourth qualifying round and we've won a scrappy game. If it's a footballing game, I think we're okay. Sometimes when it's a scrappy game, we need to grind out results a little bit more and we can't always play well and win games, so sometimes you've got to play badly and win games. So, that is a positive today, the fact that we've not played brilliantly and we've still found a way to win. Look, I'm sure people are going, oh yeah, but you know, they're a level below, you should beat them and all the rest of it. Well, yeah, of course we should be, still got to beat them, as I said on Tuesday, and that's what we've ended up doing.

DK: Is the response from going 1-0 down is also something that you can take as a really good positive?

TR: Yeah, I thought we reacted really well, but I mean, the goal kind of summed up the game, really, didn't it? It was really scrappy and I don't know whether it's got a little bit of a ricochet or he scuffed it, I don't know, but Bradders was wrong-footed. I have to watch it back to see it, but Bradders was wrong-footed and then just rolled into the corner, so it certainly wasn't a classic goal, but yeah, obviously that then gives them even more belief, whatever you want to call it, so yeah, I thought we managed that okay and then I thought the goal we scored to equalise was a really good goal to be honest, really good pass from Keiran, great movement from Ryan and then a tidy finish from Seth, so yeah, I thought we reacted reasonably well for the rest of the half, really, but again, it was still scrappy at times. 

DK: Yeah, the main thing, especially in a cup game, was the fact that we went in level and then gave us the platform to try and get more possession and then go and find that winner.

TR: Yeah, I think it's a bit like we said the other night, when you go behind you end up sort of chasing the game, so obviously the fact that we responded and got back in the game for the half, I thought we deserved to as well, to be quite honest, on the balance of play, even though it was a scrappy game, I still thought we were the better side personally and I think on chances alone, we were the better side as well, so I thought we deserved to be at least level at half-time and I think we deservedly won the game as well for us. 

DK: We've spoken about the equaliser, but a lot of credit has to go to the lads for the second goal, we've had a couple of shots saved beforehand and then Jackson's finished it off brilliantly. 

TR: Yeah, again, like I said, credit to them, they made an unbelievable block from Jackson earlier, a couple of minutes earlier, I thought that was going in, that was a hell of a block and then there was one, I don't know if that was in the same phase, there was another one where they made an unbelievable block and I did think about when you said previously in an interview about, oh is it, you know, do you start to feel it's one of them days, but like I said, I just don't believe in that, so yeah, it's nice for Jackson to get another goal and like I said, it's good that we kept going and kept asking questions and eventually one of them went in, so yeah, it's good. 

DK: Is he starting to give you a bit of a headache now, now that he's scored two goals in three games?

TR: Look, he carries a threat but he's a young lad, so you've got to be sensible about when you introduce him, so I know there's a lot of clamour, you know, I got told on the way when I was walking into the club about, oh you've got to be starting Jackson today, there's a lot of clamour, that's good, that's what I want, he's here to develop and he's here to play games, so it's great that Danny and Alfie and Ipswich have trusted us to develop him and for him to be here, that's now been extended, so he's here for another month, that's really good news and he's shown a lot of promise, but he is a young lad, he's got to understand how we play, you know, he's more of a number nine for Ipswich, we're playing him out wide, so he's learning the position as well, so there's still things that he's trying to sort of get from our game and how we play as well and also the players in front of him are good players as well, so that shouldn't be undervalued, but look, he's doing really well at the moment, he's doing everything that he can, he's coming on the pitch and affecting the game, whether that's scoring or just having an impact, but he's definitely doing both of those things, so it's a real positive and it's really pleasing. 

DK: What would your ideal draw be, now that we're getting close to the first round? 

TR: Just home again, in an ideal world you want, in theory, you know, what people would deem is the easiest game at home, but just at home, a home tie, the big boys come in don't they, National League come in, and there's still a lot of good sides in there, so personally I'd like a home tie, but I think reality is pretty much whatever we get, it's going to be a tough game, so we look forward to the draw on Monday, it's on Talksport, we can have a listen and put Needham on the map again, so it'll be nice to hear us on Talksport and hopefully we get a nice home tie, that's what I'm hoping.

DK: The Cup action continues on Saturday with a trip to a side that are flying high in the Isthmian Premier League. 

TR: Yeah, and I believe they've won today in the FA Cup, that's what someone's just told me in the changing room, I don't know if that's true, so they're in the fourth qualifying round as well, so yeah, it'll be tough there. I think they're third in the Isthmian Premier League, I don't know if there's been games today, but they were third, big crowd, so they get a lot of followers, so yeah, it'll be a tough game, we'll watch them Tuesday, see where they're at, and obviously we'll go there and try and be positive, but yeah, it'll be a tough game, no doubt about it. 

DK: Is it one of those games that you quite relish with a packed crowd, like last season? 

TR: Yeah, of course, every game you should go, you should look forward to every game, no matter who it is and if there's a big crowd it makes it even more enjoyable, so yeah, we'll go there, we'll have a look at them Tuesday, see what they're about and then get ready for Saturday and hope to perform on Saturday

Goalscorer Seth Chambers reflects on our Emirates FA Cup win over Witham Town. 

DK: A good win in the FA Cup, you must be pleased?

SC: Yeah, you can only play what's in front of you. To be fair, they gave it a good go. They started quick. We didn't have our best day today. It was a scrappy game, but we managed to get goals in good moments and get over the line.

DK: You and Joe linked up quite well today, created a threat, so you must be proud of that? 

SC: Yeah, me and Joe have been saying for a while we enjoy playing together. We always like playing together in training. We get on well. I was pleased to see that we were in the team together and we could do our thing because I think we both know what each other wants to do and we can bounce off each other quite nicely.

DK: It was also nice linkup play for the equaliser? 

SC: I think it cut Ryan back to me. I think it was Ryan, maybe, but yeah, it was a good move. It was one of those when there's forward runners and we penetrated them quite well and then we just picked out the right man. I was just glad to get a goal with it, really.

DK: You alluded to it, but being that it's a cup game, the main thing is that we are through and that we're a round away from the big boys. 

SC: Yeah, exactly that. We showed where we can... I mean, I felt we showed that we were the better team for large periods of the game. You could see that from the frustration from us, maybe, where we weren't quite getting the things right that we wanted to, but we're banging on the door with goals and we're creating chances. That's the main thing.

We're still creating loads of chances. We could have had plenty more today. So, yeah, that's the main thing, like you said. We're into the next round and happy to be there. 

DK: Is it the main thing that we're finding the way to win? 

SC: One hundred percent. I mean, even though it wasn't the best spectacle, it's good that we got over the line in what would be deemed like a more scrappy game, where we can show that we've got that side to us as well. Like we did the season we won the league, it's not always going to be pretty. Teams are going to bring you down to their level and it's can you ride the storm and get through that, and we managed to do that today and did it well in periods. 

DK: What would your ideal draw be? 

SC: Someone local, someone at home. There's always a benefit. I think, honestly, we can play anyone on our day. We can play anyone and beat them. So, I'm not worried about who we get. Just looking forward to the next game, really. 

DK: Yeah, it's Chatham away in the trophy on Saturday. What are you expecting from that?

SC: I don't know loads about them. I know we'll do our research and everything and we'll do our talks and watch our videos and we'll shape up the way that we deem fitting and go from there, really, but we're well up for it. It'd be good to have a good run in the trophy as well. Obviously, with the reward being playing at Wembley as well. That's the dream. The lads are well up for it.