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MARKETMEN PICK UP POINT ON THE ROAD

Needham Market returned back to Suffolk with a hard fought 1-1 draw away at Rushall Olympic on Tuesday night.


Kevin Horlock's side, who were arguably the better side for large spells of the game, made one change to Saturday's draw with Spennymoor Town with Ollie Fraser replacing Jacob Lay in the starting eleven.


The Marketmen started brightly and had better chances throughout the opening forty-five minutes.


Luke Ingram drove into space in the fourth minute, but shot just wide of the bottom left-hand corner from distance.


Needham continued to have long spells of possession inside the Pics' half, though Marcus Garnham was alert to advance off his line to gather a through-ball into his penalty area on 18 minutes.


Captain Dan Morphew meanwhile was on hand to recover well just outside his own box to prevent a shot at goal, and win back possession three minutes later, while Paul White claimed Jamie McGrath's dangerous right wing cross towards Ollie Fraser, who was lurking inside the six yard box in the 22nd minute.


Arlott-John however found space to shoot inside the Needham box, just after the half-hour mark, but skewed his shot wide of the top near, right-hand, corner.


Ollie Fraser though saw a shot blocked from inside the box, before cleverly winning Needham a corner just seconds later.


Rushall on the other hand dragged a shot from in space wide of the bottom near corner after 40 minutes, while two brilliant passages of play, within 30 seconds, from the visitors almost culminated in the opening goal.


The first saw Tevan Allen's exquisite left wing corner swung towards Jamie McGrath in the centre, though the forward couldn't quite squeeze the ball home at point blank range, while Luke Ingram drove through exploiting space onto the right-hand side of the box, only to see his ferocious low strike beaten wide via the outside of the near post by White on 42 minutes.


Although Rushall started the second half the brighter, Needham quickly continued their rhythm.


After Birmingham City's Laiith Fairnie headed a right wing corner wide at the back post on 48 minutes, the home side then looped a header from a right wing cross just wide of the top left-hand corner three minutes later.


Needham went close again themselves as a great right wing cross was agonisingly headed just wide of the far post by Jamie McGrath after 54 minutes, before Ollie Fraser was withdrawn for Adam Mills shortly before the hour mark.


Rushall curled a shot in space well wide of the top far corner on 59 minutes, while Allen's audacious right wing corner was curling towards goal, forcing White to hold on at the second attempt four minutes later.


Garnham meanwhile was on hand to parry a far post free header away at his top left-hand corner on 64 minutes, before Dan Morphew was well placed to dive in and head a dangerous free-kick, swung towards the far post, behind for a corner three minutes later.


The Marketmen however broke the deadlock in the 68th minute, Tommy Smith's left wing cross was whipped cleverly back into the danger area by Reggie Lambe, the Bermuda international's cross was missed by White, finding Adam Mills free at the far post to head into the top left-hand corner, despite the best efforts of a defender on the line.


At the other end, Luke Ingram was on hand to head a towering far post header off the line at his own right-hand post, at the expense of another set-piece in the 76th minute, with the following corner swung directly towards the far corner - where it was crucially cleared off the line.


Great play from Needham almost saw the visitors double their advantage with 10 minutes remaining, Marcus Garnham's long kick released Needham MOTM Reggie Lambe into space on the right-hand edge of the box, albeit the forward's low driven shot across goal was held by White.


Rushall though ultimately snatched a point three minutes later, Fairnie's initial far post header from a corner was blocked, before squeezing the rebound past numerous bodies and in via the crossbar.


Needham on the other hand went in search of a late winner moments later, Kyle Hammond drove into space before cutting the ball back to Lambe, in acres of space just outside the box, but the latter fired his shot over.


The Reds then felt they should've had a penalty when strong appeals for handball were dismissed by the referee, before Kyle Hammond looped a shot into White's gloves on 86 minutes.


Mills then saw a low shot well held by White, just as the referee gave the hosts a free-kick, followed by Ingram's 30-yard low strike being blocked on 89 minutes.


A crucial save from Garnham preserved a point for Needham in the 94th minute, tipping away a far post header from a corner.


A second point in the space of a few days for Needham, who return to the Ecologic Stadium Bloomfields on Saturday, when 12th placed Chester visit Suffolk (3pm).

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