MARKETWOMEN CONTINUE FA CUP JOURNEY

Needham Market battled back from a goal deficit to progress into the next qualifying round of the FA Cup after a 4-1 away victory over Lowestoft Town.

The visitors crept past Woodbridge in the extra preliminary round and were handed another local tie on the road, this time in the northern part of the county against the Norfolk League side.

The first half yielded very few goalscoring opportunities, with Needham looking confident on the ball but offering little threat. The home side scored the only goal of the half through Lauren Goulder.

But in what was a much-improved second half, Needham showed their higher-level status with four unanswered goals from Mia Etheridge-Golding, Keira Topple (2) and Anna Sullivan.

Needham were dominant in possession throughout the game but, especially in the first half, failed to convert that dominance into any clear goalscoring chances.

The home side barely threatened but showed enough glimpses of danger to keep the visitors on their toes.

In the 19th minute, that threat turned into a goal as a long ball down the right found Goulder, who turned Chelsea Brett inside before striking a low shot that bobbled into the bottom-right corner beyond Danni Clarke.

The home side did hit the post and found the net again, although the flag was up for offside on both occasions, as Needham continued to play neat passages of football without any end product in what was a largely uneventful half.

Warren Lewis-Claxton made a triple change at the break as he looked to turn all that possession into goals and find a way back into the cup tie.

It didn’t take long for an equaliser to come when an early Ella Edwards corner was flapped at by the keeper and fell to the unmarked Etheridge-Golding at the back post, who converted into the empty net.

The skipper almost grabbed a second in similar circumstances as again she was free at the back post, but the ball bounced off her chest and was cleared off the line.

Chances were coming and it was only a matter of time until Needham hit the front, which came just before the hour mark thanks to Topple, who held up the ball just inside the area before turning and pulling a shot into the far corner.

It was all one-way traffic, with Adele Stalnionis missing a glorious chance to add her name to the scoresheet, while Topple and Edwards were both denied by the keeper.

Half-time substitute Darcy Bloss made her competitive debut, and she added spark in an exciting 45-minute cameo when she fed a ball forward to Edward who then found Topple for the third. Although she was second favourite to reach it, Topple kept up the pressure and scored a tap-in after the keeper fumbled.

It was all Needham and they added some gloss to the scoreline when Sullivan stabbed home from close range in the final minutes after the home side failed to clear another corner. 

It was a game of two halves, but after an early scare Needham comfortably cruised into the second qualifying round of this season’s FA Cup.

The Development Team made a triumphant start to their Suffolk League campaign with a commanding 4-1 victory over Halesworth at Bloomfields.

The goals came from Paige Pugh, JPL graduate Lillie Leeks, Eve Boggis and new signing Rhianna Kiwomya as they made a strong start to a campaign full of promise following last season’s second-place finish.

FA CUP DRAW

The winners of Tuesday's (8th September, 7:45pm) Emirates FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round Replay, between the Marketmen and Stanway Rovers, have been drawn AT HOME to National League South side Braintree Town. 

The Second Qualifying Round tie will take place on Saturday 19th September (3pm).

STALEMATE AT STANWAY FORCES TUESDAY REPLAY AT BLOOMFIELDS

 Stanway Rovers v Needham Market | 05.09.2026 | Emirates FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round |

https://youtu.be/tgX3HnLdm-A?is=bd0lGo99nOPInHlq

 

A goalless draw with very few clear cut chances at Stanway Rovers, requires a replay at Bloomfields on Tuesday to see who will make it to the Second Qualifying Round of the Emirates FA Cup.

Captain Keiran Morphew, Luke Ingram and Joe Neal missed out through injury, while Harlyn Palmer dropped out through illness, as Dan Morphew, Ben Hunter and Ryan Miles returned to the starting eleven.

While Stanway started the brighter, Needham (5') grew into the game quickly, a good long ball from Josh Curry earned a throw, which Ollie Saunders broke forward into space but his cross was headed away.

Great defending from Dan Morphew headed Holly's shot at goal after working space to shoot (7').

At the other end (8'), Liam Pearce droves onto the left-hand byline, though a perfect sliding challenge cuts it out for a corner, though Hammond's corner (9') was headed wide by Morphew at the far post.

In a game of very few clear cut chances, Bradbrook (10') advanced off his line smartly to claim a long ball into the box.

Charlee Hughes (17') was booked for a foul on Dan Morphew.

Needham (20') grew on top, Liam Pearce's left wing long throw at goal was punched away by Curtis-Henry on his line, ahead of Josh Curry (23') meeting Kyle Hammond's right wing free-kick into a great area but couldn't turn it goal-wards.

The Marketmen (24') worked the ball around smartly, Curry looked to stab the ball home from close range but for a crucial defensive block.


The Reds kept creating good chances, great play from Tevan Allen and Miles (26') retained possession high in the Rovers half, Ben Hunter fed Allen down the right wing whose great low cross was turned over by Pearce.

Pearce teed up Hammond (33'), whose low first time strike looked destined to find the bottom right corner, albeit the home defence blocked.

Stanway (36') weaved into space to shoot but fired wide of the bottom left-hand corner, before Hammond (37') opened space on the right-hand edge of the box only to fire narrowly wide of the bottom far corner.

A flurry of good chances fell to the visitors (40'), Liam Pearce's long throw - this time on the right wing - was again punched away by Curtis-Henry, falling to Ollie Saunders just outside the area whose low driven strike was blocked as far as Dan Morphew who lashed a ferocious strike just over.

While Needham dominated possession, and looked the likelier to score, no team had provided a shot on target at the interval, Lewis replaced Smith.

After the break, Marcel Lewis' (53') left wing free-kick on the edge of the area was punched away by Curtis-Henry - launching off his line - while Lewis skewed a shot low and wide moments later.

Holly (60') was booked, as Curtis-Henry rushed off his line to scoop a great defence splitting pass ahead of the arriving Red shirt.

Great football from Needham (65') saw the Suffolk side create another good opportunity, in a game that still lacked a cutting edge at either end. Dye was threaded free down the right wing to find Allen, the midfielder teed up Lewis but again the low strike was blocked.

The Marketmen forced the first save of real note (69'), Pearce was slid through onto the left-hand side whose great strike at close range was beaten away by Curtis-Henry.

Ryan Miles (75') fired over from just outside the box, before winning a penalty moments later.
The winger bared down on goal down the right-hand side, drawing Curtis-Henry out to save, who then took out the forward with his outstretched hand as he looked to latch onto the loose ball.

Curtis-Henry (79') however made amends, diving sharply to his left-hand side to beat away Dan Morphew's spot-kick.

Coton (80') replaced Miles, as Pearce (82') drove into space on the right outside the area, but his shot was blocked.

After Pearce (83') was offside as his shot was charged down by the keeper, play was pulled back for a foul on Lewis, which Hammond's resulting 30-yard free-kick, from the left, picked out Dan Morphew unmarked (84') who glanced his looping header over.

Ryan Charles (87') then jinked onto the left-hand side, forcing an important block from Jake Dye, as Noah Hayes (92') had a curling free-kick held by Bradbrook after a caution for Dye.

Needham went agonisingly close in the third minute of additional time, Marcel Lewis' looping effort dipped agonisingly back into play off the top off the crossbar, with the tie ending goalless, meaning that the two teams will face each other again at Bloomfields on Tuesday (7:45pm).

The draw for the 2nd Qualifying Round will take place at 1pm on Monday.

Stanway Rovers:- 1 Dion Curtis-Henry, 5 Kenedi Dirari, 3 Will Hayes, 8 Sam Carter (50' Cutbush), 7 George Holly, 11 Matthias Fanimo (C), 9 Charlee Hughes, 10 Ryan Charles, 14 Noah Monsanya, 6 Hedley Ogrebor, 2 Josh Parker (63' Heard). Subs: 4 Fraser Heard, 12 Jude Carolan, 15 Alfie Cutbush, 16 Joe Paxman, 17 Harley Curtis, 18 Noah Hayes, 19 Oliver Corps. 70' 16 on ft, 71 11 off Curtis on

Needham Market:- 1 James Bradbrook, 2 Jake Dye, 3 Tommy Smith (45'+1' Lewis), 4 Kyle Hammond, 6 Dan Morphew (C), 8 Ollie Saunders, 10 Ryan Miles (80' Coton), 11 Tevan Allen, 12 Liam Pearce, 14 Josh Curry, 17 Ben Hunter. Subs: 13 Charlie Skinner (GK), 15 James Coton, 16 Marcel Lewis, 19 Kellen Fiddy.

Booked: Hughes (17'), Holly (60'), Dye (91')
Goals:

CHANDLER'S LATE WINNER SENDS NEEDHAM THROUGH TO FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND OF THE FA YOUTH CUP

Needham Market U18 v Soham Town Rangers U18 | 03.09.2026 | Bloomfields | FA Youth Cup Preliminary Round |


Aden Chandler's 87th minute winner sent Needham Market Under-18's through to the First Qualifying Round of the FA Youth Cup, after an entertaining 3-2 victory over Soham Town Rangers at Bloomfields.

Soham led at the half-time break after an early goal (7'), following a goal-line clearance and hitting the crossbar.

Top scorer Dawson Coldwell (49'), who now has 5 goals in his last 3 games, levelled proceedings shortly after the restart, reacting quickest after his initial shot was saved. Kyle Roper's stunning low curling finish (64') gave the young Reds a 2-1 advantage, but for Max Green (67') to soon equalise one on one.

Aden Chandler (87') promptly settled the tie, to avoid a penalty shoot-out, slotting home neatly after Alex Breeden's shot was saved by the goalkeeper.

The visitors however started on the front foot, Vincent Miller (2') saw an early shot well blocked by Tyler Wright, as Oscar Kaloo's (4') half-volleyed shot on the left-hand side was well blocked and cleared.

Soham (5') swiftly broke the deadlock, the visitors' left wing corner was pushed away by Jake Bloom, off his line, the following header was hooked off the line expertly by Grimmer, as the rebound cannoned back off the top of the crossbar only to be turned home at point blank range.

Soham (11') went close to a second, Max Green spotted Bloom off his line but his clever 30-yard chipped strike went just wide of the top right-hand corner.

At the other end, Needham had a half-chance (15'), a great cross-field ball picked out Aden Chandler on the right wing to drive into space to shoot low at the near post, which Owen Taylor held after initially spilling.

Needham gradually grew into the game, Josh Tennial (21') worked space to shoot from 20-yards out but his effort was blocked.

Tyler Wright and Alex Breeden combined smartly down the left wing (29') as the latter earned a corner, whch just evaded Dawson Coldwell unmarked at the far post at close range.

Alex Breeden (33') then weaved past two markers, although he was dispossessed just before he could thread Coldwell through on goal, as Leyton Coote had an effort blocked a minute later.

Aden Chandler (35') drove into space onto the right-hand edge of the box, only to skew his shot narrowly wide of the bottom far corner, while Breeden's (38') left wing cross-shot was diverted behind by the keeper.

Needham shot narrowly wide on 39 minutes, while a big stop from Jake Bloom (43') thwarted Green.

The winger drove through onto the left-hand side albeit his fierce strike was expertly beaten behind, with Bloom on hand to hold following the corner.

Oscar Kaloo (45') was fed just outside the box but his low shot was straight at Bloom, before Soham (45'+1') fired just wide of the bottom right-hand corner in the penultimate touch before the interval, at which Soham led by a goal to nil.

After the break, Needham quickly got back on level terms, good shielding from Fenton Grimmer (49') to hold off his man to allow Bloom to gather, the goalkeeper kicked a brilliant ball over the top to release Coldwell through one on one whose initial shot was saved by the onrushing keeper, but was on hand to net the rebound, finding the bottom right-hand corner.

Swiftly after, the home side went close (50'), Aden Chandler ghosted free down the left-hand byline but the ball just evaded Coldwell.

Galvanised by the goal, Luke Betts' side went close again (51'), Josh Tennial was the latest to break through on the left byline to square dangerously across goal but the ball flashed away, as Tennial then watched an effort deflected away from goal.

The young Reds continued to create a flurry of chances, Alex Breeden (54') met a left wing corner at the far post but Taylor parried it away from close range, ahead of Bloom (55') denying Soham.

The Needham stopper was down expertly at his near, right-hand, post to smother a cross-shot behind at a tight angle.

Needham took the lead with a great finish in the 64th minute. Captain Max Roper exploited space just outside the area to wrap an excellent strike into the bottom right-hand corner.

Soham however responded quickly in an explosive second half, equalising on 67 minutes, Max Green was released through one on one to find the bottom corner.

Jake Bloom (76') was forced into a huge save, the keeper stood firm to beat away an 8-yard volley following a corner.

Tennial was booked for a foul (78'), as Finlay Brock (79') drove onto the left-hand byline, only to see his dangerous cut-back cleared.

Alfie Mark (80') meanwhile directed a looping header from a good right wing cross just over onto the roof of the net, prior to Leyton Coote's (84') 30-yard free-kick being deflected off the wall.

Finlay Brock (86') drove clear on goal and was about to shape to shoot until Drayton's perfectly timed sliding challenge prevented a clear shot at goal from 8-yards out.

Luke Betts' side restored their lead, and grabbed what proved to be the match-winner on 87 minutes.

Alex Breeden's low strike was denied by Taylor, low to his left, but only as far as the onrushing Aden Chandler, on hand to slide home the rebound to make it 3-2 to Needham.

Soham nearly sent the tie to penalties in the fifth added minute, with the final major chance of the evening, though the visitors rifled a powerful strike on the half-volley, from just outside the area, just wide of the top right corner.

Needham Market progress to the 1st Qualifying Round, and look ahead to a third home League game on Thursday (10th September, 7:45pm) against Framlingham Town.

MOTM and match-winner Aden Chandler said, "yeah, buzzing, obviously, 3-2 game. We weren't happy with the performance in the first half, we came out slow, second half a massive improvement. The desire to win the ball back every second ball we were there, shouting for the balls, making the team positive."

On responding from a goal down at half-time, "obviously, we knew we had it in us to come back and score more goals and it came out that we did. As I said in the first bit, we weren't happy with what we'd done, so we wanted to prove to people that we were going to do what we did.

"Three brilliant goals. One came from Kyle, edge of the box, hit it nicely. First one, Dawson, desire to win the ball back after the keeper spilled it and finally my one at the end that secured the win."

On netting the winner, "buzzing. Obviously, it's late in the game, if someone's got to score, it's going to penalties. Luckily, I was there at the right moment, right time, slot it back in the net, enjoy it with the boys, celebrating. That was my second late winner. In the under-16s, we had a cup final, scored last-minute winner to secure the win, so it always feels good.

"It is joyous (in the changing room). The speaker was dead, but we found a new one, so we're buzzing with that so we can celebrate."

Looking ahead to a home league fixture against Framlingham Town the attacking midfielder said, "yeah, obviously we need to recover, get training back in, practise on some more things, get an even better performance next week."

Needham Market:- 1 Jake Bloom, 2 Leyton Coote, 3 Tyler Wright, 4 Fenton Grimmer, 5 Jack Nunn, 6 Riley Parker, 7 Aden Chandler, 8 Josh Tennial, 9 Dawson Coldwell, 10 Kyle Roper (C), 11 Alex Breeden. Subs: 14 Alfie Mark, 15 Charlie Fox, 16 Ellis Beech, 17 Danylo Konik, 18 Dan Thompson, 19 Finlay Brock, 1 Freddie Foreman (GK).

Soham Town Rangers:- 1 Owen Taylor, 5 Ashton Blunt, 4 Daniel Drayton, 15 Archie Coogan, 16 Archie Briggs, 8 Archie Ashton, 6 Reuben Geach, 11 Finley Sayward, 9 Vincent Milner, 17 Oscar Kaloo, 7 Max Green. Subs: 13 Max Williams, 10 Emile Kwiecien, 12 Miguel Misipo, 18 George Newell.

Booked: Wright, Tennial (78').
Goals: Coldwell (49'), Roper (64'), Chandler (87'); (5'), Green (67').
Needham MOTM: 7 Aden Chandler.
Att: 82.