Needham Market continued their pre-season campaign, ahead of their first ever season at step 2, with a 2-0 victory at home to Isthmian North Division side Maldon and Tiptree.
Kevin Horlock's side were without Kyle Hammond, Patrick Brothers (both ill), Jacob Lay, Hartley Curtis (both injured), and Ben Hunter (unavailable), with Jamie McGrath back in the starting eleven.
The Marketmen enjoyed the majority of the ball throughout the game, played at a scorching hot Bloomfields, though it was the visitors who had the first shot of the game after 2 minutes, as number 7 found space on the right-hand side, but smashed his shot over from close range.
A great long ball from the Reds smartly thread Seth Chambers through onto the right hand side of the box, who kept possession well to earn an early corner, in the third minute.
Tevan Allen's resulting corner, meanwhile, was swung low, dangerously, across the face of goal, although Keiran Morphew - arriving at point blank range at the far post - couldn't quite provide the touch it craved.
Marcus Garnham was then drawn into an early save in the tenth minute, diving low to his bottom right-hand corner to hold onto a Maldon effort at goal, while Luke Ingram was fed 30-yards out from the visitors' goal, before seeing his powerful shot go over in the 17th minute.
Dylan Williams was then forced off with an early injury, while great play from the Marketmen did force a save from goalkeeper Chamberlain. Adam Mills' left wing cross found Luke Ingram leap high at the far post, only for it to be straight at the 'keeper, who held onto his header, as the score remained goalless after 28 minutes.
Tevan Allen tried his luck at goal from distance, a minute later, but saw his shot deflected wide for a corner, which was crossed back in on the far side, dangerously towards Seth Chambers, albeit the defender was there to crucially intercept and turn it behind for another corner.
With 31 minutes played, Luke Ingram tested the goalkeeper once more, this time the forward was threaded through, onto the right-hand side of the box, before firing a low shot across goal, forcing a good save from the keeper to smother it away.
Jamie McGrath then got on the end of a dangerous ball onto the left hand side of the box, but saw his awkward shot from a tight angle go narrowly wide from 3 yards out on 34 minutes.
The breakthrough, which on the balance of play was arguably deserved, arrived for the Marketmen a minute later - great pressure from Jamie McGrath block two defensive clearances high up on Needham's attacking left wing. The second fell straight to Adam Mills, whose clever low pass found Luke Ingram in acres of space to shoot from 30-yards out, arrowing a brilliant low strike into the bottom left hand corner.
In reply, Maldon had a few minutes spell of possession, which saw Jake Dye block a shot from inside the box, with Dan Morphew on hand to mop up the loose ball, clearing away to safety on 41 minutes.
Adam Mills then broke through down the left wing, but saw his cross clipped straight to the visiting keeper, on his line a minute later.
The Marketmen began the second half with the same team, and continued to enjoy large spells of possession.
Tommy Smith set Luke Ingram through, clear on goal, down the centre three minutes after the restart, as the forward raced into the box only to scuff his shot towards goal for the keeper to collect.
Ingram was again threaded through into the box in the 56th minute, albeit appeals for a penalty - after the forward went down - were dismissed by the referee.
Seth Chambers then tested the Maldon keeper just before the hour mark, the forward latched onto a great long ball, that released him clear on goal, driving through the Jammers' half, although the keeper was off his line well to smother and hold onto the ball.
Horlock's side then introduced a few substitutes before Chambers cooly added Needham's second goal on 65 minutes. Last season's top scorer, who netted 20 in all competitions, was released through on goal once more, this to, e slotting smartly past the onrushing 'keeper, into the bottom left hand, far, corner.
Needham welcome another Isthmian North Division side in Brightlingsea Regent to Bloomfields on Tuesday (23rd July, 7:45pm), before travelling to two more Isthmian North sides - after a visit to another in Felixstowe on Tuesday (won 2-1) - in Ipswich Wanderers (Friday 26th) and Mildenhall Town (Wednesday 31st, 7:45pm), ahead of the final friendly at step 3 side AFC Sudbury (Saturday 3rd August, 12pm).
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