Just before kick-off Adam Rafis who had been named in Redbridge’s starting line-up picked up an injury in the warmup. That meant that the reliable Edward Wooten was called into the team to show his metal to the team.

Needham had the first real chance of the game when Danny Thrower took a pass on the left, took it forward a dozen yards before putting in a great cross into the area. Thankfully for Redbridge, Glen Golby was on hand to head the ball over for a corner.

Just before the quarter-hour Needham should have gone ahead when Wooten failed to hold onto a Thrower shot with Newson somehow driving a shot across the face of goal. Two minutes later though Needham were ahead and it was that man Newson converting Duane Wright’s cross with ease.

Six minutes after going behind, Redbridge almost got back on level terms. A great cross from the left by Tommy Spillane was knocked down by Glen Golby with Joe Gardner striking the ball well only to see the ball clatter back of the post. Down the other end Wooten made a good save from Angleo Harrop’s deflected shot. Redbridge should have been awarded a penalty on the half-hour but strangely the referee failed to see a blatant push inside the area waving play on much to the annoyance of Redbridge’s travelling support.

HT Needham Market 1 Redbridge 0

The second half started with both sides looking good spells on the ball. Redbridge in particular were passing the ball about well whilst Newson was looking dangerous too. Ben Bradbury, arguably one of the success stories of Redbridge’s season almost got the Motormen an equaliser but his shot came back of the woodwork.

With the game still very much in the mix, Terry Spillane made changes with Aarun Best on to inject pace into Redbridge’s defence. However the game swung back into Redbridge’s advantage when Jose Espinoza hacked out at Billy Sendall and was given his marching orders by the referee.

With his side now being a man up, Spillane went for it bringing on the nifty Shane Stamp and Vinnie Durrant on to inject even more attacking flair, taking of Danny Hopkins and his son Tommy Spillane. Redbridge went all out to get an equaliser and but for a tremendous clearance on the line by Rhys Barber to deny Bradbury’s shot and a good save from Plummer to deny Gardner would have got one.

Newson though came back to hurt Redbridge and he sealed the game for Needham with 7 minutes left when Bradley Barber played in the hit-man who rounded Wooten to score his 10th league goal of a highly productive season so far. Redbridge were strangely denied a consolation when Plummer dropped a shot and a Redbridge player got a shot over the line with the referee for some reasons disallowing the goal.

Redbridge: Edward Wooten, Stuart Hepburn (Aarun Best 59), Tommy Spillane (Vinnie Durrant 83), Billy Sendall, Glen Golby, Dan Trenkel, Ben Bradbury, Daniel Hopkins (Shane Stamp 72), Jamie Haywood, Ryan Wade, Joe Gardner.

Match Report by Len Cordell