Needham Market bow out of the Isuzu FA Trophy in the second round after a battling performance in a 3-2 defeat at fellow Vanarama National League North side Alfreton Town.
Kevin Horlock's side were without Reggie Lambe through international duties with Bermuda, though captain Keiran Morphew and Northampton Town loanee Josh Tomlinson returned to the starting eleven. Danny Cullum replaced the suspended Marcus Garnham, while Adam Mills also started. Jamie McGrath and Ollie Fraser meanwhile started on the bench, along with Seth Chambers and Jacob Lay.
While Alfreton had the better of the chances in the first half, it was the Marketmen who enjoyed the majority of the possession and chances after the restart.
Danny Cullum was alert to advance off his line, just inside his box, to hold onto a long ball into his box from kick-off just 20 seconds in, while Needham defended Adam Lund's long throw into the box after a flick on towards goal in the sixth minute.
The home side though broke the deadlock a minute later, after a drop ball that followed Kyle Hammond needing medical treatment, Josh Clackstone found space on the right-hand edge of the box to wrap a smart shot home into the bottom far corner.
Alfreton then saw Lund's 12th minute long throw headed narrowly over, before the former saw his headed flick on, from a right wing corner, headed away well by Jake Dye five minutes later.
Just as Needham begun to enjoy more of the possession, Alfreton doubled their advantage on 21 minutes, a long ball over the top was latched onto by Lewis Salmon who picked out the bottom far, right-hand, corner.
At the other end, a good Needham free-kick, just inside Alfreton's half, was met by the towering Keiran Morphew at the far post, albeit Adam Mills was just unable to turj it back goal-wards on 25 minutes.
Alfreton then glanced a left wing cross wide of the far post on the half-hour mark, before Dan Morphew saw a thunderous 30-yard shot deflected through safely to substitute keeper Jake Askew two minutes later.
The home side meanwhile saw a shot deflected over for a corner in the 38th minute, with the resulting set-piece palmed behind the far post smartly by Cullum on his line.
While another long throw into the box from Lund was headed just over onto the roof of the net on 41 minutes, in-form Liam Waldock, who had five goals in his previous eight games, tried his luck at goal with a speculative 35-yard half-volley but fired over the bar two minutes later.
Luke Ingram exploited space cleverly in the first minute of first half stoppage time, driving towards the edge of the box before firing a low 30-yard strike towards Askew's bottom right-hand corner, which the 'keeper got across smartly to hold.
Kevin Horlock's side were arguably the better team for large spells of the second half, limiting Alfreton to only a few notable chances. Ingram broke through smartly down the right-hand side two minutes after the restart, retaining possession well after a push from a defender before reaching the byline but couldn't quite squeeze the ball across goal.
At the other end though, an important double save from Cullum thwarted Alfreton from adding a third goal on 52 minutes, Billy Whitehouse picked up possession in space from 30-yards out but both he and Waldock, on the rebound at a tight angle, both saw efforts beaten away well by the shot-stopper guarding his right-hand post.
His opposite number Askew was alert two minutes later to tip Kyle Hammond's right wing free-kick just wide of his far post for a corner, before Needham introduced Seth Chambers in place of Jake Dye.
The young striker had a big impact on proceedings, though it was another Hammond free-kick, again creeping underneath the crossbar - this time from just inside his own half, that forced a save from Askew, who held the midfielder's latest attempt on 61 minutes.
After Cullum commanded his box well to claim a cross, Needham swiftly broke up the other end, with a well struck shot just outside the box forcing a crucial block by a defender.
Chambers however was the architect, as well as ultimately scoring, in Needham halving the deficit after 64 minutes. Good pressure from the young striker saw the Academy product rush Askew's clearance, which fell straight to Adam Mills who in turn neatly beat his man prior to finding Tevan Allen on the left-hand edge of the box. The midfielder then hung an exquisite cross finding Chambers at the far post to head home, via a deflection, into the far corner.
Needham went agonisingly close to equalising straight after the restart, Adam Mills raced through quickly onto the left-hand byline before squaring the ball across the face of goal, requiring a touch from a defender to concede the corner with Allen lurking for a tap in.
A Needham head met the resulting corner, but the ball went agonisingly just wide of the left-hand post.
Needham kept the pressure on their hosts, with both Ingram and Chambers chasing a long ball towards Askew's penalty area, albeit the 'keeper advanced off his line to just gather possession ahead of the goalscorer on 68 minutes.
Alfreton though hit Needham with a sucker-punch third goal, all but sealing their spot in the next round on 78 minutes, substitute Jed Abbey weaved down the wing before finding Liam Waldock in space to guide home ingo the bottom far, left-hand, corner.
Needham looked to respond instantly, bringing both Ollie Fraser and Jacob Lay on for Adam Mills and Kyle Hammond, with the visitors winning a dangerous free-kick just outside the box with 6 minutes left to play.
Although Allen's low free-kick was blocked by a defender just behind the wall, Luke Ingram almost set up a nervy final five minutes of normal time as his 12-yard shot looked destined to nestle into the top left-hand corner but for a crucial deflection to divert it just wide for a corner.
Clackstone meanwhile found space to shoot just outside the box on 86 minutes, but saw his shot comfortably dealt with by Cullum, followed by Ollie Fraser breaking through onto the left-hand byline. The winger's clever cutback found Ingram at close range, but the forward shot agonisingly just wide of the near post after 89 minutes.
Needham did make it 3-2, which was arguably the least their efforts deserved, in stoppage time as Seth Chambers was wrestled to the ground as he looked to break into the box in the 3rd minute of five additional minutes.
Up-stepped Luke Ingram, making his record 502nd appearance for the club, who became Needham's all-time record goalscorer as he smashed home the spot-kick into the top left-hand corner in the 95th minute.
Needham return to National League North action away to Marine on Saturday (3pm).
Read our interviews with Kevin Horlock and Luke Ingram here: https://needhammarketfc2021-22endofseason.blogspot.com/2024/11/reaction-kevin-horlock-luke-ingram-post.html
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