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NEEDHAM MOVE OFF THE BASE OF THE TABLE AFTER DRAMATIC GAME AT ALFRETON


Needham Market move off the base of the table and move 3 points behind Warrington Town, who sit just above the relegation zone with a brilliant 3-2 win from behind at Alfreton Town.


Kevin Horlock's side made 3 changes to the 1-1 home draw with Radcliffe, Brackley Town loanee Liam Cross, Reggie Lambe and Tevan Allen dropped to the bench with Seth Chambers, Jamie McGrath and Northampton Town loanee Josh Tomlinson starting. 


Having been narrowly defeated 3-2 on their previous visit to the Impact Arena in the FA Trophy, the Marketmen responded superbly from going 2-0 down to hit back through goals from Tommy Smith, Liam Cross and Reggie Lambe inside the last 12 minutes to collect an important and impressive victory on the road. 


The Marketmen were the better side

throughout and deserved to return home to Suffolk with all 3 points, nullifying their hosts' threat from long balls, in a fixture that has seen both sides field a different goalkeeper in all three meetings this season. 


After Josh Tomlinson's 22nd second tackle prevented a dangerous chance close to goal, Adam Mills saw an exquisite free-kick tipped over by the keeper on his line inside 3 minutes. 

The latter than saw a ferociously hit low strike beaten away by goalkeeper David Robson on 12 minutes.


Mills continued to have an impact on proceedings, latching onto Tommy Smith's cross to whip a dangerous ball back into the box himself, but the flick on towards goal was claimed by Robson. 


Alfreton did look to test Josh Blunkell three minutes later, but Jed Abbey's close range header from Adam Lund's long throw, from almost the half-way line, was comfortably caught by the shot-stopper. 


The visitors defended valiantly throughout, with three major examples following each other in the space of 3 minutes. First Luke Ingram headed two of threee successive left wing corners behind at the near post on 20 minutes, while Abbey's shot from the edge of the box was on target but headed away by Ingram a minute later. 


Captain Keiran Morphew was then well placed to block Lewis Salmon's close range shot after a low right wing cross, followed by a brilliant sliding challenge from Jake Dye saw the retreating right back not only cut out a through-ball but win back possession in the 26th minute. 


While Needham arguably still looked the better side, Jake Day saw a shot well blocked by Keiran Morphew with Blunkell able to prevent the corner expertly a minute later. 


A great run and hold up play from Seth Chambers earned Needham a free-kick by the right corner flag, though Mills' free-kick curling towards goal was parried by Robson as far as Ben Hunter - only for the latter to miscue his attempt on the half hour mark.


Needham continued to look full of confidence as superb hold up play from Jamie McGrath saw him beat his man before seeing a shot blocked as far as Dan Morphew, who in turn won his side a dangerous free-kick just outside the box on 36 minutes. 


Mills again tested, with the resulting set-piece Robson a minute later, whipping it round the wall towards the bottom left-hand corner, though Robson was well placed to hold. 


The excellent all round team performance from Needham continued until the final whistle, though captain Keiran Morphew was booked for a foul just outside the box.


Jed Abbey's 41st minute set-piece however was brilliantly beaten away by Blunkell, diving across low to his left-hand side. 


Ben Hunter got the restart underway for Needham, who again controlled possession for the majority of the first 15 minutes, with a quick free-kick finding Ingram inside the box - only for his first time shot to be held onto by Robson inside a minute. 


Chambers then held up possession cleverly prior to looking to slip McGrath through inside the box, albeit the latter couldn't quite latch onto it on 55 minutes. 


Two minutes later, McGrath exploited space, driving through the hosts' half, to thread Jake Dye into space to cross-shot in smartly but saw his effort held by the diving 'keeper on his line. 

Alfreton though broke the deadlock, hugely against the run of play on 59 minutes. A left wing cross saw Jed Abbey's close range shot beaten away expertly by Josh Blunkell before the forward's low ball back into the danger area was turned home by Lewis Salmon. 


Needham responded with a double change, withdrawing Dan Morphew and Jamie McGrath for Kyle Hammond - back from injury - and Tevan Allen. 


The breakthrough sparked Alfreton into life for the following ten or so minutes, heading over a right wing long throw at the far post on 65 minutes. 


Salmon though converted a low left wing cross at close range to double the hosts' advantage on 66 minutes.


Horlock's side, who almost forced a penalty shootout after going 2-0 behind in the FA Trophy at the same venue, went two steps better this time around, showcasing great character to turn the game on it's head. 


After Blunkell gathered a shot at head height well on 73 minutes, Needham opted to make their final three chances at once - introducing Bermuda International Reggie Lambe, Jacob Lay and Liam Cross, all of whom would go onto have a major impact in the stunning comeback that would follow. 


After those changes, Needham were briefly down to ten men as Tommy Smith received treatment on a cut to his hand, as the away side enjoyed another good spell of possession - resulting in Lambe seeing a rasping shot cannon back into play off the right-hand, far, post on 77 minutes. 


Needham recycled possession and deservedly halved the deficit a minute later with the first of three excellent finishes from the Suffolk side.

Tommy Smith started the comeback, controlling the ball superbly on the left-hand edge of the box prior to wrapping an audacious strike into the top far corner for his first Needham goal. 

 

Once again fuelled by belief, Needham went close to an equaliser on 83 minutes, Allen intelligently slotted Dye past his man onto the right-hand side only for his smart low ball across the box, on a plate, was cleared with no visiting players able to capitalise. 


Blunkell however kept his side firmly in the game, diving excellently low to his far, left-hand, side to beat away a shot after a quick breakaway on 89 minutes.  


Needham punished their hosts, equalising just as 6 additional minutes were signalled, substitutes Jacob Lay and Liam Cross combined well as the farmer's brilliant left wing cross was glanced home by Cross into the far corner for his first goal for the club. 


The points were then settled by a sublime long range strike from Reggie Lambe, spotting Robson off his line from around 35-yards out to effortlessly lob the 'keeper to find the roof of the net, two minutes later. 


Keiran Morphew then blocked Salmon's shot away in the 8th added minute, before Kyle Hammond looked to catch Robson off his line a minute later but shot just wide from 40-yards. 


The full-time whistle soon sounded, with Needham back on the road on Tuesday away to Scunthorpe United (7:45pm) ahead of a busy schedule. 


Manager Kevin Horlock reflects on today's victory.


DK: That was an incredible win, you must be delighted. 


KH: Yeah, well, it's a really difficult place to come, we've already been here in the trophy and they're probably one of the most direct teams in the division, so we come with a game plan, we set up with personnel as big as we could go to nullify the threat of physicality and direct, because last time we came here I think the first 25 minutes were 2-0 down, so we nullified that, got to half time, which was perfect, it was what we were looking to do, and then we conceded two really sloppy goals, which then put you on the back foot, and look, it just worked today. We had a plan of bringing the lads on when we did, to get the ball down and play, because when we played here last time, obviously second half we dominated, we got the ball down and played and causing problems, so we looked to do that again and the subs come on and affected it like we wanted to, so it all sort of fell into place today. I see two subs scoring and one assisting, it's as good as it gets when you make substitutions, so we're all very pleased, it was an unbelievable performance really, barring the two sloppy goals we gave away, I thought the lads worked their socks off, they battled, they put their bodies on the line, and I'll tell you what, we scored three unbelievable goals today. 


DK: After, like you say, dominating the game and then going 2-0 down, the lads showed brilliant character to come back and win it. 


KH: Yeah, look, they're a great group, they train properly, it's been a tough season, obviously it's fine margins, we've been losing games by odd goals, but today it all fell into place and I think the lads got what they deserved for their hard work and endeavour, not just today, over the course of the season, I think we've been hard done by at times and should have had more points than we've got and we're right down in amongst the mix at the bottom, obviously, but to come away to Alfreton and be 2-0 down, I don't know how long was left, 20 minutes, half an hour, and then to win 3-2 just shows you what character they've got. 


Unbelievable (goals), I think the first one fell on Tommy's right foot and he's put it in the top bins, the second one, Jacob's twisting and turning, delivered the ball in, and opposite wide man Liam's come on and he's made a run across defenders and it's a great header, flicked into the corner, and then Reggie, again, has come on to get the quality that we know he's got, he's landed on the ball and it was a sublime finish, it was unbelievable to have that awareness and to execute it in the way he did, it was a fitting winning goal. 


DK: And it's, like we've said, a very important victory, we can't belittle how important it is because it's pushed us off the bottom and three points from safety now.


KH: Yeah, look, it was massive, would have you took a point before, probably, but to get all three is massive for us because there's teams down the bottom today playing each other so teams were going to get points today, we knew that, but our season isn't going to be defined by today or Tuesday at Scunthorpe, February is a massive month for us where we play teams that are in and around us at home and we've got a couple of games today and not a couple of them, so if we have a good February it should set us in good stead. 


DK: Not a bad way, though, to start away games for the new year? 


KH: Yeah, we've generally been okay away from home, I think we play with a little bit more freedom and obviously our pitch is a little bit heavy at the moment, which it always is in the winter time, so yeah, it was a great away performance, bar the two goals we conceded, but I can give the lads a little bit of leeway on them because the way they stuck at the task, how professional they were and the endeavour they showed and, like I say, the three goals we scored were real quality. 


DK: Scunthorpe away on a Tuesday night, which in the reverse fixture, we deserved to get a point. 


KH: Yeah, and again, it's a fixture where no one gives us a chance, which is great by me. We know what we are capable of. We give them a good run for their money at home. We know it's going to be a good pitch. We know we're going to be able to play, so that will suit us and we'll have to be our best to get anything because Scunthorpe are obviously a massive club and got a very good team.But this result today means we go into that game full of confidence and we know we're capable of beating anybody, but we've got to turn up and be our best and hopefully we will be. 


DK: Some incredible saves from Blunks today, all round, everyone, like we said, put an absolute shift in. 


Tommy Smith reflects on getting his first goal for the Marketmen. 


DK: A brilliant win, and the shadow off your back, with your first goal for us! 


TS: Yes, brilliant win. I thought we thoroughly deserved it. I thought the whole game we were on the front foot, and I thought we took into account the game from last time, and I thought we played perfectly. Two scrappy goals again, but it's hard to keep, they're starting to play out from those minutes, but I thought we showed great character to come back. I thought we were knocking on the door a lot in the second half, before and after the goals, but yes, it's always nice to start the comeback off I guess. 


DK: A very good strike from you as well, like a striker.


TS: Yes, I just saw it coming across the box, and I just tried to place it in that top corner on my right foot, and it paid off. 


DK: Worth the wait for that goal? 


TS: No, not really. I would have liked to score a little bit earlier than that in the league, but I'm glad it meant something today. 


DK: You'd have rather a tap-in last year, would you? 


TS: Yes, definitely. I would have rather scored a little bit earlier than this, but I'm not that bothered to be fair there. It's a great start. 


DK: Hopefully back this up with a tough trip to Scunthorpe? 


TS: Hopefully, yes. I think the games like that is where we thrive. I think we'll really give it our best shot. Obviously, they're a very good team, no-one's expecting us to get anything there, but I think we've shown that we can always surprise teams in this league, like today.


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