Injuries to both Sam Newson and Ian Westlake meant that Manager Morsley had to shuffle his pack for team selection which meant that there were starts for Ollie Brown and Ryan Crisp from the side that lost narrowly at Harlow on Saturday. It also meant that the bench had a very youthful look to it, except of course for Nathan Munson (sorry Munno). Redbridge also had a defeat on Saturday at the hands of AFC Sudbury so came to Bloomfields in a determine frame of mind, giving a start to speedy Joe Gent who had been out injured for seven weeks.

Needham settled quickest kicking with the wind and playing their normal passing game and the first threatening moves by Needham were on the right where Ollie Brown looked to be back to his busy self but his first couple of crosses were just too high for Ryan Crisp. Redbridge were finding it difficult to sustain long periods of pressure on the Needham defence but in the eighth minute a move from left to right looked dangerous when the ball was finally cleared by an Ollie Fenn header even though he was being fouled at the time.

Needham continued to gain success down both flanks but the crosses were not finding attackers but on thirteen minutes one cross was knocked to Kemal Izzet on the edge of the box but his volley flew narrowly passed the post. On the next attack the same player’s shot found the Redbridge goalkeeper Mark Parker’s midriff and this was to be a pattern for the remainder of the half with good approach work but unable to find a way of getting the ball into the net.

The crowd were becoming increasingly restless and this perhaps was being transmitted to the players with Ryan Crisp, Keiran Morphew, Ollie Fenn and Ollie Brown all getting into shooting positions but not being able to find the opening goal, meanwhile Redbridge’s Joe Gent jinked his way down the right and crossed but Gavin Cockman’s header failed to trouble Shaun Phillis in the Needham goal. After 30 minutes a short free kick to Izzet gave him a chance to shoot but Parker was again equal to it from the resultant corner Sam Nunn could not get over the ball so it flew over the bar. Shortly after Needham had corners on right and then left without chances and were really exposed by a fast Redbridge break that left them two against four but a delayed pass allowed Needham to get back in numbers and snuff out the danger. Ollie Brown again broke down the right and crossed into Cunningham but his header was straight at the keeper, Morphew was fed in after good play on the edge of the box but again his shot was too high and wide.

Redbridge now kicking with the wind were able to apply pressure on the Needham defence at the start of the second half without any notable strikes on goal, whereas Needham’s attacks were more sporadic and often finished with shots off target or blocked by Parker in the Redbridge goal. Some twelve minutes in to the half a major flare up involving Cunningham and Aaron Tatham resulted in both being cautioned but most of the outfield players got involved and it took a long time for referee Parmenter to sort out and this involved speaking to both managers. The game then became very fractious and a spate of cautions ensued and the managers made substitutions which gave the game a stop/start period but it was to be Needham’s substitute Adam Mills who was to settle the game. A low cross by Luke Ingram on the right was inexplicably fumbled by Parker and there on hand at the back post was Mills to tap the ball in from a yard out and who can blame the young man for celebrating his first touch/goal.

Further substitutions were made by both sides but the game continued in to be non-descript and it wasn’t until we got into the 5 minutes of additional time did any action worthy of note take place, first a free kick to Redbridge 40 yards out saw all Redbridge players around the Needham box trying desperately to get that equaliser without success. Whilst at the other end good play by Izzet and Mills on the left saw the ball played to Luke Ingram making a charge for the box but again his shot was past the post and the referee drew the game to a halt.

report courtesy of www.needhammarketfc.co.uk