A Joseph Marsden goal was the difference at the Victoria Ground on Saturday afternoon, as Needham Market ran out 1-0 winners over Bromsgrove Sporting.
A rather tepid opening to the first half saw Needham have chances via a Joseph Marsden shot that was well charged down by keeper Tony Breeden, before Luke Ingram attempted an audacious lob that flew over.
It was the final 10 minutes of the half where Bromsgrove really came to life.
Shaquille McDonald had a couple of opportunities, one curled narrowly wide and another saved comfortably by Marcus Garnham.
Kieren Westwood found himself in acres of space soon after, but his left footed strike went wide following a nice team move and it was an equally aesthetically pleasing team effort that led to Richard Gregory striking straight at the keeper from well inside the area in the final minute of the half.
Sporting enjoyed a positive start to the second half, with Gregory and Westwood having shots blocked out for corners but a lack of a cutting edge would come to haunt Bromsgrove, as Luke Ingram crossed the ball into the box, which an unmarked Marsden gleefully headed narrowly over the line in the 67th minute, despite Breeden's best efforts to keep it out.
The tempo of the game ebbed away following the goal, with neither team mustering any chances of note, as the away team bagged all three points.
Entertainment Rating: 2/5
Man of the Match: Callum Sturgess (Needham Market)
Report: Max Banner
THE MARKETMEN SECURE VICTORY ON THEIR TRAVELS
BY PAUL MUNN
A Joseph Marsden second half header gives the Marketmen the points
The Marketmen, returning to league action travelled to Worcestershire to try and bounce back from their disappointment of last week’s cup exit. Bromsgrove’s’ Victoria Ground was the destination, a new one for most of the Needham Team and Supporters. It also turned out to provide the largest attendance the Marketmen have played in front of so far, with a figure of 976.
The starting line-up saw James Baker and Samuel Squire drop to the bench as they game managed slight knocks, which meant starts for Russell Short and Dan Morphew.
The Marketmen started the match reasonably well with Joseph Marsden forcing the home sides’ keeper Tony Breeden into action early on and Luke Ingram sent an effort over the bar as he tried to chip the keeper.
Callum Sturgess also had a good start to the game with a couple of good runs down the left and looked dangerous throughout. However, as the half progressed neither side was really able to take the game by scruff of the neck and create anything much that would trouble either set of defences.
Although it was the home side who came to life in the last fifthteen minutes and finished the half the stronger. Shaquille McDonald had a couple of opportunities, the first he tried curl into the top corner but it went narrowly wide and the other was comfortably saved by Marcus Garnham.
But their two best chances came just before the break. The first fell to Kieran Westwood found himself in acres of space after some good build up play, but he put his left footed strike wide and then a couple of minutes later a good team move set up Richard Gregory. He beat his man to give himself a clear strike on goal but he only managed to hit it straight at Marcus Garnham.
Half Time: Bromsgrove Sporting 0 vs Needham Market 0
Following a Luke Ingram fierce drive, two minutes after the re-start, that was well gathered by Tony Breeden Bromsgrove enjoyed a decent spell of possession. They began to pressure the Marketmen and created a few opportunities.
Shaquille McDonald had a half-hearted penalty claim waved on after a good run into the box, whilst Kieran Westwood unleashed a fierce shot that Dan Morphew managed to get into its path to head it behind and just over the hour Richard Gregory blasted over from 20 yards after creating space for the shot. The Marketmen did however to create an opportunity or two, with a Joe Neal header going over the top being the closest.
Kieran Westwood departed the game on fifty-six minutes as Bromsgrove introduced John Pykett, who would play his last game for them before moving overseas.
With twenty-five minutes remaining the Marketmen’s Jordao Diogo smartly switched the play to release Luke Ingram down the right, who in turn put a good cross into the far post, where Joseph Marsden had run into a good position, he rose above the defender to nod it goal wards and despite the keepers’ efforts he could not keep it from crossing the line. 1-0 NMFC – 65 mins
Soon after taking the lead Joseph Marsden could have had another after he had latched on to a clearance from Bromsgrove’s keeper, who had strayed from his area to start up Bromsgrove’s build-up play. Joseph Marsden ran to try to get a clear shot at goal but the keeper redeemed himself and did well to get back to push Marsden’s effort behind.
Bromsgrove tried to mount a response and made a double change soon afterwards introducing more attacking options, including their new signing Mike Taylor from Stourbridge. But despite all their reasonable build-up play they were unable to find that final ball to unlock the Marketmen’s resolute defence.
Meanwhile the Marketmen made a couple of changes to help them maintain what they had; James Baker replaced Joe Neal and Samuel Squire came on for Jordao Diogo.
The tempo of the game faded in the final minutes, with neither team mustering any chances of note and it was the Marketmen who saw out the game well and travelled back to Suffolk with all three points in the bag.
Full Time: Bromsgrove Sporting 0 vs Needham Market 1
The Teams:
Bromsgrove Sporting: Breeden, Rankin (Taylor ’72), Wilson, Hayward, Broadhurst, Hull, Westwood (Pykett ’56), Massey, McDonald, Gregory, Shorrock (Dowd ’72)
Needham Market: Garnham, Dye, Sturgess, Short, Morphew(K), Morphew(D), Ingram, Heath, Neal (Baker ‘70), Marsden (Collard ‘90+2), Diogo (Squire ‘75)
