Needham Market make it 4 wins from 4 from their pre-season schedule with a 2-0 home win over Framlingham Town, retaining the Suffolk Champions Charity Cup for the third successive year in the process.
Kevin Horlock's side were boosted by the return of both Jake Dye, whose goal opened the scoring late on and now has scored 2 goals in as many friendlies this season - having missed the friendlies with Felixstowe and Newmarket, and Tevan Allen with Reece Harris named on the bench, but rested, Luke Ingram and Kyle Hammond still away and Taylor Clark & Keiran Morphew unavailable. Dan Morphew captained the side, with Academy defender Clayton Osborn on bench, following his debut on Saturday, alongside Flynn Crosthwaite, while Ollie Fraser and James Letts both started.
The Marketmen did look to create an early chance after 6 minutes, albeit ruled offside after 6 minutes, neat passing play saw Jamie Smith fed into space on the left-hand edge of the box whose shot was blocked - albeit the flag was up.
Framlingham on the other hand shot narrowly over the crossbar, two minutes later, while George Exworth saw a low 30-yard shot lack power for a comfortable gather for Marcus Garnham on 13 minutes.
At the other end, a minute later, Ollie Fraser saw a good strike beaten behind by the flying Cummings, across to his left-hand side following a great long ball from Dan Morphew, before Jamie McGrath's low shot from the resulting corner was hit low and straight at the 'keeper.
Tommy Smith was then on hand to put his body on the line to deny the visitors after 16 minutes, after a good block from Dan Morphew partially cleared a low left wing cross, the away side found Ethan Whittingstall in space in the centre whose shot was bravely blocked by Tommy Smith, bravely throwing himself in the way of the shot from 9-yards out.
Jake Dye then exploited space to drive onto the right-hand edge of the area, but the defender's shot is deflected away, with a Framlingham defender on hand to clear on 23 minutes.
Five minutes later, a great surging run through down the left wing from Ollie Fraser saw the winger break through past the full-back, before teeing up Jamie Smith, who passed it back to Letts whose return through-ball to the striker sees the former shot wide on the spin from an offside position.
The woodwork then denied the higher league Marketmen on 35 minutes, neat passing play saw McGrath threaded into space past the defence, after a one-two, onto the right-hand side of the box whose ferocious strike from a tight angle cannoned wide off the near post.
Tevan Allen then whipped a sumptuous left wing corner into the six yard box a minute later, but was glanced narrowly wide of the far post by McGrath, while Fraser drove into space on the right-hand byline close to goal, only for his dangerous cutback to be cleared away after 38 minutes.
The Marketmen then had a decent chance on 41 minutes as a left wing corner swung underneath the crossbar was well caught by Cummings on his line.
Needham then made two chances at the break as McGrath and James Letts were replaced by Callum Page and Flynn Crosthwaite, as the Marketmen controlled much more of the possession after the restart with the eventual breakthrough arriving on 88 minutes through Jake Dye, prior to Seth Chambers converting a late penalty to wrap up the victory for the home side.
The first chance after the break saw the hosts have a good chance on 49 minutes, a clever one-two between substitute Flynn Crosthwaite and Jacob Lay saw the the resulting cross in looped just over the far post from close range off the head off Callum Page.
Dylan Williams then broke into space, onto the edge of the penalty area four minutes later, albeit his shot towards the top left-hand corner is well held by the well placed keeper.
Tevan Allen then raced onto the right-hand byline, inside the box on 63 minutes, whose toepoked smart cutback saw Jamie Smith's strike blocked from 8-yards out.
Shortly after, Needham made two more changes as Jamie Smith and Jacob Lay made way for Seth Chambers, and Clayton Osborn.
Five minutes later, great play and run from Ollie Fraser almost set up the opening goal of the night, the winger weaved through onto the left-hand side of the box before putting a low ball across the six yard box, on a plate, albeit the away defence cleared ahead of Seth Chambers breaking through the right-hand byline, only for his dangerous low ball across the six yard box to flash by with nobody around.
A great ball from then released Callum Page through on goal on 72 minutes, but the substitute's ferocious strike thundered just wide into the top of the outside side netting.
Dylan Williams then picked up possession following a corner on the edge of the box, but the midfielder's half-volley thundered over the crossbar on 79 minutes.
Another great through-ball then cleverly threaded Page onto the right-hand side of the box, only for the forward's low shot to be deflected straight at the keeper, for a fairly comfortable hold on 81 minutes.
One of two Framlingham number 14's then smashed a shot just wide of the bottom far, left-hand, corner from inside the box a minute later, before Needham went agonisingly close on 83 minutes.
A right wing corner picked out Jake Dye in acres of space at the far post, whose smart header back across goal was pinpoint to Tommy Smith whose header went just wide of the right-hand post.
Horlock's side then found the breakthrough they arguably deserved on 88 minutes, Dylan Williams' free-kick on the right-hand edge of the box was blocked with the midfielder's peach of a right wing cross into the box hung up perfectly, to the far post, for Jake Dye to guide a diving header into the top far corner from point blank range, 1-0 Needham.
Needham then doubled their advantage from the penalty spot three minutes later, after Berry brought down Seth Chambers - who looked to be clean through on goal after 90 minutes. Up-stepped the striker to cooly send the 'keeper the wrong way into the bottom right-hand corner, 2-0 Needham.
Tevan Allen then unleashed a powerful shot on the turn on 90+3 minutes, but his shot thundered just wide from the left-hand edge of the box, while Seth Chambers almost added a third goal a minute later,
The forward broke through one on one onto the right-hand side of the box, whose tight angled fierce low shot towards the bottom far corner was beaten away by Cummings, with Page just unable to latch onto the rebound for a tap in.
Needham welcome higher league Braintree Town (2pm) on Saturday.
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