Needham Market round off a perfect September, conceding just one goal in six matches, winning them all, following a 2-0 Emirates FA Cup Third Qualifying Round win over Brightlingsea Regent.
Manager Kevin Horlock made 2 changes to Monday's Southern League Central Premier Division 2-0 win at Kings Langley, goalkeeper Marcus Garnham returned from injury in place of the unavailable Finlay Shorten, while Jamie McGrath replaced Ryan Viggars up front.
The Marketmen dominated proceedings and duly deserved to progress to the Fourth Qualifying Round for the second time in the club's history, courtesy of another goal from in-form top scorer Jacob Lay, who now has six goals in as many games, and a late penalty from Needham's all time record appearance maker Luke Ingram, on his return from injury.
The Marketmen took just five minutes to have the first chance of the night, Noah Collard exploited space well on the right-hand edge of the box, though the midfielder fired his shot over the crossbar.
Three minutes later, the Marketmen had a great chance, Ross Crane broke through into acres of space well down the left-hand side of the box before hanging a great cross into the six yard box to Jamie McGrath, the striker's glancing header found Noah Collard sliding in at the far post, but his shot from a tight angle went wide.
The first shot on target then soon arrived in the tenth minute, but Dan Morphew's header was comfortably into the chest of the goalkeeper.
Ross Crane then went close to breaking the deadlock after 13 minutes, although his shot was deflected just wide of the bottom far corner after playing a great one-two with Jake Dye on he left-hand edge of the box.
While Christian Frimpong's effort from point blank range was well saved by the goalkeeper at his near post three minutes later, more great play from the home side was again unfortunate to not result in the breakthrough. A great ball over the top released Jamie McGrath through, the striker in turn teed up Noah Collard, but the midfielder's low shot across goal was well held by goalkeeper Charlie Turner.
After that, McGrath himself saw a shot blocked after 24 minutes, while Kyle Hammond's fierce drive from a low Crane corner was well blocked by the head of Regent captain Charlie Durling a minute later.
Eight minutes later, Jamie McGrath and Noah Collard linked up well once more, although the forward couldn't quite latch onto the return pass.
A minute before first half stoppage time, the Marketmen were agonisingly denied the first goal of the night, Noah Collard threaded Ross Crane through dangerously inside the box, the winger cut inside from close range to shoot, but for his shot to rebound just wide of the outside base of the near post.
Into the second half, the Marketmen took just four minutes before going close once more, Crane again cut inside dangerously, this time onto the right-hand edge of the box, before firing a great strike at goal, the winger's effort though deflected off the back of McGrath and looped just over the top far corner.
With the rain beginning to absolute hammer it down, Needham continued to do so on the Regent goal, Kyle Hammond was next to be denied by the woodwork, as the full-back's low audacious curling free-kick, from just outside of the box, crashed back into play off the front base of the right-hand upright on 53 minutes.
But 3 minutes later, the hosts' patience was rewarded courtesy of a fantastic solo run from Man Of The Match Jacob Lay. The winger notched his sixth goal in as many games, and his third in as many FA Cup matches. Lay was threaded through brilliantly by Jamie McGrath down the left wing before managing to squeeze between two defenders and into the penalty area, where the winger exploited space to smash home past the goalkeeper knot the bottom near corner, 1-0 Needham.
Straight after, Patrick Brothers went close, firing a shot over from the edge of the box, while Kevin Horlock made his first change of the night - withdrawing Jamie McGrath for Luke Ingram.
Regent's Barnby meanwhile was denied by the crossbar on the hour mark, before Noah Collard up the other end saw another good strike blocked two minutes later.
Moments later, Luke Ingram saw a good low shot from the left-hand edge of the box held onto by Turner, while Collard's dangerous low ball after his surging run was cleared away on 67 minutes.
Ross Crane was soon thwarted once more after 70 minutes, the winger surged through midfield well, exploiting space to fire a great low shot across goal, albeit one that Turned was equal to slap away, but only as far as Collard, whose cutback just evaded Ingram.
Eight minutes later, the home side continued to search for a second goal, brilliant vision from Crane to thread Lay through down the left-hand side saw the latter get a shot off, only for the goalkeeper, who had advanced off his line to save it well diving down to his left hand side, while Ingram sliding in could only see his effort caught by the committed goalkeeper.
Ingram then played a great one-two with Collard, the latter threading a great ball over the top to release the forward one on one, who raced into the box but couldn't quite connect with his shot after 82 minutes.
Regent at the other end saw Littlejohn's header cleared off the line from a corner on 82 minutes, while Ross Crane looped a header over from Patrick Brothers' great left wing cross into the six yard box four minutes later.
Sotoyinbo though did well to keep hold of the ball well in the hosts' penalty area on 88 minutes, but the substitute could only blast his shot over the crossbar.
Back down the other end, Tom Fitzgerald, who had not long came on in place of Noah Collard, threaded Jacobay through but the latter's shot went just over the top right hand corner.
The Marketmen though were awarded a penalty after a foul on Luke Ingram two minutes into second half stoppage time. Up-stepped the forward, who marked his first game back in his trademark style, confidently sending the keeper the wrong way, as he dispatched the spot-kick into the bottom right hand corner to double his side's advantage. That goal was notably the Marketmen's sixteenth goal during six games in September, only conceding one.
And a big goal it was too, sealing Needham's passage into the Fourth Qualifying Round (draw at around 3:15pm on TalkSport 2) and a win away from potentially drawing a Football League side. In the meantime, the Marketmen are back in home action on Saturday (8th October), as they welcome fellow league opposition - who they beat 3-1 at Bloomfields in August in the league - Stourbridge in the Isuzu FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round. Elsewhere, on Tuesday the club's Under-18s are in at home action against Stowmarket Town, while the Under-23s travel to Great Yarmouth Town in the Thurlow Nunn League Challenge Cup Second Round.
Needham Market:-
1 Marcus Garnham
2 Kyle Hammond
3 Jake Dye
14 Christian Frimpong
5 Keiran Morphew (c)
6 Daniel Morphew
7 Jacob Lay
8 Noah Collard (84' Fitzgerald)
9 Jamie McGrath (59' Ingram)
10 Patrick Brothers
11 Ross Crane
Subs:
12 Luke Ingram
15 Harry Knights
16 Thomas Fitzgerald
17 Seth Chambers
18 Taylor Clark
19 Hugh Cullum
20 Evan Collard
Brightlingsea Regent:-
1 Charlie Turner
2 Jermaine Anderson
3 Temiloluwa Olapejo
4 Charlie Durling (c)
5 Jake Thompson
6 Zack Littlejohn
7 Samuel Jeramiah
8 Oliver Bell (78' Munyard)
9 Connor Barnby
10 Dominic Locke (59' Sotoyinbo)
11 Harrison Carnegie
Subs:
12 Adebola Sotoyinbo
14 Brett Munyard
15 Harry Conway
16 Robert Weller (GK)
Booked: Durling (40'), Turner (90'+2').
Goals: Lay (56'), Ingram (90'+4'pen).
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