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THIRD WIN OF PRESEASON

Needham Market picked up their 3rd win on the spin with a good performance, and crucial minutes in the legs, against Isthmian North side Brightlingsea Regent.


New Signing Cameron Jessup, Kyle Hammond, Ollie Fraser and Patrick Brothers all started for Kevin Horlock's side from Saturday's home win over Maldon + Tiptree.


Both sides had an early shot on target, albeit both fairly good heights for the keepers, with Luke Ingram latching onto a through-ball down the right wing before cutting the ball back to Tevan Allen inside the box, whose shot was beaten away by the keeper at head height after 3 minutes.


Five minutes later, the visitors fed a man free onto the right-hand side of the box, but his shot curled towards the top far corner was well held by Garnham.


The Marketmen controlled the majority of the ball and broke the deadlock in the 16th minute. Tevan Allen rasped a dangerous free-kick, just outside the box, towards goal - which the defender headed away. The ball was recycled out to the left wing, where an audacious cross picked out Luke Ingram free at the far post to glance his header into the top right-hand corner.


A minute later, a fierce Needham shot from the edge of the box was blocked behind for corner, while another dangerous left wing cross again found Ingram at the far post, again at point blank range, but this time saw his header rebound back into play off the face of the right hand post in the 20th minute.


Tommy Smith then fed Ollie Fraser through at point blank range, albeit in an offside position as he forced the Regent keeper to dive smartly down towards his near, left-hand, post and make the save on 23 minutes.


Needham again had a lot of the possession, but the visitors did have a few efforts at goal, one of which arrived in the half-hour mark, as a dangerous low cross was squared across, from the right-hand side of the box, although the shot was blocked well by Cameron Jessup.


The Marketmen doubled their lead 2 minutes later, Tevan Allen's right wing corner saw a far post effort, towards the bottom left-hand corner, cleared off the line and away as far as Tommy Smith. The defender whipped the ball back in brilliantly, finding Ollie Fraser once more from point blank range to tap into the bottom near corner.


Regent however threaded a man through, clear on goal inside the penalty area, but saw his shot towards the bottom right hand corner well held by Marcus Garnham on 34 minutes.


Four minutes later, the visitors' low fierce shot at goal forced another good save from Garnham, diving down smartly to his right-hand side to beat it away expertly.


Garnham meanwhile denied the away side once more in the 40th minute, but the shot from the edge of the box was straight at Garnham - guarding his bottom near, left-hand, corner.


An excellent finish from Regent five minutes later, did see them halve the deficit. The number eight found space on the edge of the box to curl a stunning strike home into the top right-hand corner.


The Marketmen started the restart brightly, forcing a double save from the keeper on 47 minutes. Allen's cleverly curled free-kick, from the edge of the box, looked destined to find the top left-hand corner - but for the keeper to beat it away, only as far as Ben Hunter, arriving onto the left-hand side of the box, whose first time well hit shot was held by the keeper.


On the hour mark, great play from Kyle Hammond saw the midfielder disposses the defender, just inside the visitors' half, before spotting the keeper off his line as his long range shot went just over the crossbar.


Seth Chambers was then released free down the left wing, driving through the Regent half before cutting inside onto the edge of the box only for his tame shot, off balance, to be stopped by the keeper on 74 minutes.


Needham substitute Danny Cullum was forced into a routine save three minutes later, as he held onto a low shot fired straight at him, while Luke Ingram netted his second goal of the night in the 88th minute.


Seth Chambers broke through smartly down the left hand side, into the box, before smartly cutting it back for Ingram on the edge of the box to brilliantly slam home, first time, into the bottom left-hand corner.


The Marketmen travel to Isthmian North side Ipswich Wanderers on Friday (7:30pm).

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