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MARKETMEN PICK UP FIRST WIN AT STEP 2

Needham Market record their first win in the Vanarama National League North with a 2-1 win at Warrington Town.


Kevin Horlock's side were without Dylan Williams through injury, as Jamie McGrath came into the starting eleven. Jayden Ashbourne returned to the bench, with goalkeeper Marcus Garnham picking up an injury in the warm up and was replaced by Danny Cullum for his Needham debut.


The Marketmen got off to the perfect start, scoring in the 4th minute. A bright start saw Adam Mills pressure the defender before picking up possession down the left wing, the ball then fell to Tevan Allen on the edge of the box to smash home ferociously, first time, into the bottom near, left-hand corner.


At the other end, Sithole was found on the right-hand edge of the box but fired his shot in the turn just wide of the bottom corner after 10 minutes.


The striker then forced a low comfortable save out of Cullum in the 15th minute, while good play from the visiting Marketmen saw Jamie McGrath's shot blocked after good play from Seth Chambers a minute later. Needham then recycled the ball to Ben Hunter, who in turn found Dan Morphew whose powerful shot from distance went over.


Cullum then held onto a cross-shot at his right-hand post before Needham had the ball in the net again in the 19th minute.


Great play from Jamie McGrath started the move, with him and Chambers exchanging passes, as the former found Jake Dye free on the right-hand side of the box to cross low dangerously for Chambers free in the six yard box - who was offside as he back heeled it in at the far post.


The Marketmen, who were dominant for the opening 20 minutes, but weathered the storm until the interval - scoring a crucial second goal just before the break.


Cullum punched away a 35th dangerous corners before Sithole shot wide of the vacant bottom left-hand corner a minute later.


The Needham goalkeeper then made an important double save to deny Rodwell-Grant in the space of sixty seconds. The first, in the 41st minute, saw the forward head a long ball towards the top near corner but was tipped wide by the keeper, while the second saw the stopper down smartly low to his left-hand side to beat the shot away.


Chambers was then released through on goal in the 43rd minute, but saw his shot smothered by the onrushing keeper, with the ball falling to Adam Mills free on the left-hand side whose overhead shot from behind dipped agonisingly just wide of the bottom far corner.


The Marketmen then doubled their lead in clinical fashion, Seth Chambers held the ball up before Needham Man Of The Match Tevan Allen did likewise prior to slotting Jake Dye through onto the right-hand side of the box to slot it through the legs of 'keeper Daniel Atherton and into the bottom left-hand corner, 2-0 in the first minute of stoppage time.


After the restart, like the first half the Marketmen were dominant for the opening fifteen minutes, with Seth Chambers winning a foul from 35-yards out on the left wing which saw Allen's set-piece find captain Keiran Morphew - the latter's shot though was well held by Atherton at head height on 47 minutes.


At the other end, Matthew McDonald went close to having the deficit for Warrington, the forward found space on the right-hand edge of the box before curling a shot across goal which rebounded back into play off the top of the crossbar on 58 minutes.


Needham then went close themselves two minutes later, McGrath kept possession well, finding Adam Mills on the left wing whose audacious cross into the six yard box just evaded the hosts' keeper and Ben Hunter lurking at the far post.


While Mills saw his fierce shot blocked on 62 minutes, the winger then intercepted possession from distance - and after spotting Atherton off his line - fired a powerful shot over the top left-hand corner five minutes later.


The hosts then had the majority of the remaining possession and chances, with the Marketmen defending valiantly to record their first win of the campaign.


Needham made their first change of the afternoon soon after as Dan Morphew, playing in central midfield, was replaced by Jacob Lay.


Warrington saw a shot from a cross creep towards the bottom left-hand corner until Cullum got across to gather on 72 minutes, before the hosts did halve the deficit five minutes later. A right wing corner found captain Evan Gumbs free at the far post to guide a bullet header home into the top left-hand corner.


In response, Needham made a double change as Chambers and Hunter were withdrawn for Cameron Jessup and Harley Curtis, while Keiran Morphew looped a header over, at the far post, from Allen's right wing free-kick in the 83rd minute as Needham looked to secure all 3 points.


Cullum meanwhile comfortably held onto a low shot across goal, low to his right-hand side 3cminutes later, before both sides had a good chance in the 5 minutes of stoppage time.


Needham had the first in the 2nd of those, McGrath fed Mills through smartly onto the left-hand side of the box whose low shot across goal was held by Atherton, followed by the hosts again picking out Gumbs free at the far post from a corner - but this time headed wide.


Ollie Fraser replaced Adam Mills as Needham held firm to pick up an important 3 points ahead of Tuesday's trip to Hereford.

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