Needham Market advance to the second qualifying round of the Emirates FA Cup following a professional 3-0 away victory at step 5 side FC Romania.
Kevin Horlock's side made 2 changes to Monday's goalless Suffolk derby at Leiston as Jamie McGrath and Luke Ingram started in place of Jacob Lay and Reece Harris, as both started on the bench.
The Marketmen's higher league quality showed against a side that showed a few signs of danger on the counter, with an early first minute shot on the right-hand side was well blocked by Tommy Smith.
At the other end, Needham broke forward a minute later as Luke Ingram broke onto the left-hand side of the box before being seemingly brought down from behind clear on goal, albeit appeals for a penalty were waved away.
Ingram then forced a good save out of the keeper a minute later, as his shot inside the box, towards the bottom far, right-hand, corner, was well held by the FC Romania goalkeeper.
The chances continue to fall to the Marketmen, with Dylan Williams firing just over the crossbar after 4 minutes, before another quick chance sixty seconds later saw Man Of The Match Tevan Allen's shot, from 30-yards out on the right-hand side, well held by the goalkeeper.
The home side though had a good chance on 16 minutes, as a right wing cross found the number 9 at the far post whose low close range shot was comfortably saved by Needham goalkeeper Marcus Garnham.
Needham on the other hand went close to breaking the deadlock on 22 minutes, Kyle Hammond's clever low right wing free-kick found Callum Page unmarked on the edge of the box whose shot went agonisingly just wide of the bottom far corner.
Four minutes later, great passing play from Needham saw a great crossfield ball find Tommy Smith in space on the left wing, the full-back in turn fed Hammond whose audacious cross in found Jamie McGrath inside the box, although the striker's glancing header was well held by the keeper at his bottom left-hand corner.
Back at the other end though, the home side went close on 33 minutes, a smart right wing curling cross found a man unmarked at the far post where the close range volley went just over the bar.
Two minutes later, Tevan Allen saw a fierce strike on the right-hand edge of the box beaten away by the goalkeeper at the roof of his net - although play was brought back for foul on Luke Ingram in the process of finding Allen right on the edge of the box. Hammond took the free-kick, as his set-piece right on the left-hand edge of the area curled round the wall but straight into the 'keeper's chest.
Needham however broke the deadlock on 42 minutes, courtesy of captain Keiran Morphew's far post towering header, from Kyle Hammond's right wing 50-yard free-kick, which looped home into the bottom right-hand corner, 1-0 Needham.
Dylan Williams meanwhile curled a 30-yard free-kick, from the left-hand side, just over the crossbar on 44 minutes as Needham went into the break a goal to the good.
After the restart, Needham again started brightly, as great play on 49 minutes saw Tevan Allen feed Callum Page into space, on the left-hand edge of the box, who fired wide of the bottom near corner.
Allen though netted his second Needham goal in 3 games since signing in the summer, finishing off some neat play which saw Jamie McGrath flick the ball onto the midfielder in space on the right-hand side of the box to poke home from close range into the bottom near corner, 2-0 Needham.
The home side meanwhile created another good chance on 56 minutes, the number 8 found space on the right wing to tee up number 10 whose tame low shot across goal was comfortably held by Garnham.
McGrath and Allen on the other hand linked up well again on 76 minutes, the former this time teeing up Allen to shoot on the edge of the box whose ferocious driven strike was tipped over well by the keeper for a corner.
It was from the resulting corner that Needham rounded off the scoring a minute later, a sumptuously curled Reece Harris right wing corner beat the 'keeper picking out Jamie McGrath in acres of space, at the far post, from point blank range to bullet home home into the top corner, 3-0 Needham.
The victory sees Horlock's side go seven games unbeaten in all competitions ahead of a return to league action at home to second placed side Stourbridge on Saturday (3pm).
Comments