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POINT ON THE ROAD

Needham Market come from behind to record a 1-1 draw at keague leaders Mickleover.

For the 1st v 2nd clash, Kevin Horlock's side were without Tevan Allen with Callum Page starting in his place.


The Marketmen were arguably better in the second half, while the home side were better in the opening 45 minutes.


Needham did look bright early on, as Jacob Lay's smart through-ball towards McGrath was intercepted by the defender before the hosts saw a shot from the left-hand edge of the box well by Jake Dye after 7 minutes.


The home side though broke the deadlock a minute later, as Bradley's run saw Andy Dales slot home.


Dylan Williams meanwhile spotted the keeper off his line from the halfway line only for his tame shot to be gathered by the goalkeeper on 16 minutes.


Mickleover then saw a man fed in space on the left-hand edge of the box but curled his fierce first time shot well wide of the bottom near corner on 29 minutes.


Needham then enjoyed a good spell of possession before the hosts blasted a shot way over on 34 minutes.


Mickleover's Oliver Greaves then curled a free-kick wide after 41 minutes, while Jamie McGrath worked space to break through on the right-hand side of the box but curled wide of the top far corner a minute into first half stoppage time.


After the restart, the Marketmen grew into the game and looked the better side, although a Mickleover curling shot from outside the box was beaten away by the flying Marcus Garnham up to his top left-hand corner on 51 minutes.


Four minutes later, another superb save from Marcus Garnham thwarted the home side again as a free shot from the right-hand side was tipped over well by Garnham at his near post.


Mickleover's Marcus Barnes then broke through one on one just after the hour mark, but Garnham narrowed down the angle well off his line forcing the chipped shot well wide of the near post.


Needham continued to look for an equaliser as a corner fell to Keiran Morphew 15 yards out whose shot went narrowly wide of the bottom left-hand corner on 62 minutes.


Seven minutes later, Jamie McGrath raced through past the defence on the left-hand side of the box albeit his dangerous ball squared across on a plate flashed by with nobody around.


Mickleover then smashed a shot in space narrowly wide into the bottom left-hand, near, side-netting on 70 minutes, before great passing play from the away side saw Jacob Lay go agonisingly close to drawing Needham level four minutes later.


Reece Harris fed Seth Chambers with his back to go inside the box, the forward held the ball up well before teeing up Jacob Lay whose shot went just wide of the bottom left-hand corner.


The Marketmen's patience paid off as the visitors were awarded a penalty after 78 minutes, Seth Chambers released Jamie McGrath racing through one on one on the left-hand side. The striker beat his defender before being swiped to the ground as the referee pointed to the penalty spot.


Up-stepped regular penalty taker Luke Ingram, who beat the keeper, who did get a hand to it, by power as he smashed home into the bottom left-hand corner for his sixth goal of the season, 1-1.


Needham then went close to taking the lead on 87 minutes, Reece Harris' dangerous right wing cross was headed back dangerously across goal by Keiran Morphew, falling to goalscorer Ingram from 8-yards out who just got underneath the ball and volleyed just over the crossbar.


Mickleover though saw a ferocious low strike from range beaten away by Garnham, down well to his bottom left-hand corner in the 3rd of an initial 6 added minutes.


Keiran Morphew meanwhile went close at the death, six minutes later, as a dangerous Harris right wing corner picked out the captain at the far post whose header was glanced just wide.

Needham host Stowmarket Town in a repeat of the Suffolk Premier Cup Final in April, at the Quarter-Finals stage on Tuesday (7:45pm).



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