COWLEY PENALTY INFLICTS FRUSTRATING DEFEAT ON MARKETMEN

Needham Market v Halesowen Town | 22.08.2026 | Bloomfields | Pitching In Southern League Central Premier Division Game 4 |

Jason Cowley's first half penalty inflicted a third defeat in four games on Needham Market as Halesowen Town returned to winning ways to make it 2 wins from their opening three matches.

Tom Rothery made 2 changes to Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Alvechurch, Ollie Saunders and Liam Pearce returned to the starting eleven in place of Kyle Hammond (ill) and Marcel Lewis - who dropped to the bench. Joe Neal and Harlyn Palmer, the latter fresh from scoring for the Reserves on Tuesday, returned to the bench.

James Bradbrook (2') was on hand to comfortably hold onto a tame shot at goal, before smartly pouching an overhit through-ball (3') then a right wing cross at his near post.

Luke Ingram (6') saw a low half-volleyed shot on the turn deflected narrowly wide for a goal-kick, as the striker had the first real chance of the afternoon.

MOTM (Selected by match sponsors Highway Assurance) Ollie Saunders' looping ball forward was glanced on smartly by Ryan Miles, releasing Luke Ingram (14') clear on goal whose rasped half-volley effort at goal was initially spilt by Dan Platt who gathered the loose ball.

At the other end, Needham defended sternly as Tommy Smith (18') blocked Jason Cowley's shot as Ben Hunter had a clearance deflected behind for a goal-kick.

Liam Pearce (19') had a fierce strike blocked, only for his strong appeals for handball to be dismissed by the referee.

A golden chance went begging for the Yeltz in the 24th minute as Ebanks could only turn Cassidy's left wing cross wide from a yard out at the far post.

The visitors did go in front though, after Dan Morphew (29') was adjudged to have fouled Meredith in the area, with Cowley (30') sent Bradbrook the wrong way to find the bottom left-hand corner.

Cowley (37') meanwhile latched onto the ball in space in the area but skewed his low shot wide of the near, right-hand, corner, as Luke Ingram (38') weaved into space on the left-hand edge of the box only to see his low wrapped strike deflected narrowly wide of the bottom far corner.

Needham headed over from the corner, before the Marketmen went majorly close (42'), great team play saw Smith found by Saunders to play a great ball forward, which is cleverly flicked onto Saunders whose shot is agonisingly wide of the bottom far corner at close range.

Ebanks (45') fired comfortably over from distance, as the Marketmen trailed at the break.

A better second half from the hosts saw Liam Pearce (49') break onto the left-hand byline smartly but to see his low cutback cleared, as Bradbrook (54') was alert to keep a stray pass from Keiran Morphew from going into his own net.

Marcel Lewis was introduced in place of Liam Pearce moments beforehand, as Joe Neal (60') replaced Tevan Allen.

Needham went close to an equaliser in the 62nd minute, a brilliant run from Ryan Miles saw the ball break to Marcel Lewis, the substitute exploited space only to shoot agonisingly just wide of the bottom far, right-hand, corner.

The second half sprung to life, as the Yeltz went close at the other end (65') as Cowley headed Meredith's great right wing cross just wide of the near post at close range.

Joe Neal (73') meanwhile worked space to shoot from distance but saw his wrapped low shot comfortably held by Platt, with Curry replacing Dan Morphew (76') soon after.

Harlyn Palmer made his First Team league debut, in place of Miles (77'), the former's great smart run (86') and play from Neal carved a good opportunity for Lewis to latch onto possession unmarked but his shot was blocked.

An excellent 91st minute marauding run from Josh Curry found Neal in space to smartly turn between two defenders with neat skill but his shot went over.

Needham travel to Stratford Town on Saturday (29th, 3pm).

Needham Market:- 1 James Bradbrook, 2 Jake Dye, 3 Tommy Smith, 5 Keiran Morphew (C), 6 Dan Morphew (76' Curry), 7 Luke Ingram, 8 Ollie Saunders, 10 Ryan Miles (77' Palmer), 11 Tevan Allen, 12 Liam Pearce (54' Lewis), 17 Ben Hunter. Subs: 9 Joe Neal, 14 Josh Curry, 16 Marcel Lewis, 18 Harlyn Palmer, 19 James Coton.

Halesowen Town:- 1 Dan Platt, 2 Ben Cassidy, 4 Matt Preston, 5 Ryan Wynter (C), 6 Ryan Wollacott, 7 Todd Parker, 8 Lewis Ison, 9 Jason Cowley (81' Silva), 10 Callum Ebanks (72' Barnett), 13 Millan Butterfield, 22 Dan Meredith. Subs: 3 Ethan Sephton, 11 Vanylson Silva, 15 Luke Postle, 18 Rob Evans, 23 Ty Barnett.

Goals: Cowley (30'pen).

Att: 330.

Needham MOTM Selected by Match Sponsors Highway Assurance: 8 Ollie Saunders. 

COLDWELL BRACE SEES U18S START SEASON WITH WIN OVER LEISTON

Needham Market U18s v Leiston U18 | 20.08.2026 | Thurlow Nunn (Eastern Counties) Youth League Central Division | Bloomfields Game 1 |

Needham Market Under-18's kicked off the new Thurlow Nunn Youth League Central Division campaign with a fine 3-1 home win over Leiston.

Kyle Roper (10') broke the deadlock early on for Luke Betts' side with a well hit low strike, though Rayworth (29') tapped home an equaliser.

The Young Marketmen would go into the break in front though, as Dawson Coldwell (43') found the bottom far corner.

The striker (47') ultimately sealed the three points with his second of the night with a clever finish to end a great team move. 

While Needham had a few early half chances, it was the visiting captain Hano Hawar (3') that had the first chance of the night.

A right wing low cross was met by the striker at close range, whose shot went over, prior to Hawar (4') curling a right wing-edge free-kick narrowly wide of Jake Bloom's far post.

At the other end, Dawson Coldwell smartly threaded Kyle Roper (6') through one v one but for Torrance to advance off his line to smother.

Needham were awarded a penalty moments later, Aden Chandler however saw his spot-kick palmed over by goalkeeper Louis Torrance.

Fenton Grimmer latched onto the following left wing corner (7'), whose low shot was held by Torrance across to his left-hand side.

Kyle Roper (10') fired the Marketmen in front smartly, leaving Torrance rooted to the spot as he expertly found the bottom corner.

Jake Bloom (16') advanced off his line to gather a overhit through-ball, who then held onto an awkwardly dipping shot from just outside the area.

Aden Chandler (26') meanwhile was threaded through in acres of space by a great ball over the top onto the right-hand side whose clever lobbed side-footed effort over the onrushing Torrance went narrowly wide.

Leiston (29') equalised, a good ball through the legs released 20 through down the left-hand side to tee up Rayworth arriving at the back post at close range to turn home into the bottom left-hand corner.

Dawson Coldwell (31') headed a great right wing cross at goal, just outside the six-yard box, albeit straight at Torrance, while Leiston (33') broke onto the left-hand byline only to poke just over at point blank range.

Good hold up play from Roper (34') controlled a great long ball by Bloom to tee up Chandler to shoot, wide of the top right-hand corner from an acute angle.

Bloom (36') then excellently thwarted 19's low strike across goal, down to his left-hand side, falling just behind the onrushing Spencer Mayhew.

Roper (38') however met a great low right wing cross, poked on by Coldwell, at point blank range at the far post - only to see his strike well denied by Torrance.

Grimmer (43') cleared a low strike from a corner off the line at the bottom left-hand corner, as Needham went up the other end and retook the lead.

Dawson Coldwell smartly broke into space down the right-hand side to cooly find the bottom far corner, as Needham almost added to their lead in the 44th minute but shot wide with the keeper off his line.

Needham arguably deserved their lead at the break, in a very end to end entertaining game but have more of the possession and better chances, as Dawson Coldwell (47') made it 3-1 shortly after the break.

The striker netted his second goal of the night by sharply turning home a great cross into the bottom left-hand corner from close range.

Bloom (51') on the other hand slid off his line well to smother away a through-ball, who was equal to a 55th minute strike from the left-hand byline to react quickly low at his near post to beat the effort behind, though Leiston headed the resulting corner wide via the outside of the near post.

Roper (60') intercepted a poor clearance only to see his ferocious 20-yard strike blocked, with Chandler's follow up effort low and just wide into the near side-netting.

The young Marketmen (63') forced a good stop from Torrance, off his line to thwart a shot on the left-hand side for a corner, before Leiston (64') released a forward clear on goal but blazed over from just outside the area.

Bloom (67') was alert to beat a great strike towards his top near, right-hand, corner behind.

Fin Brock (81') smartly raced onto the left-hand byline after a superb strong challenge from Aden Chandler to retain possession and set the former through, whose dangerous low ball across goal was cleared. The visitors (83') saw a shot deflected wide on the left-hand post well for a corner, as Bloom (85') expertly claimed Gaffer'son target cross-shot from range under pressure from a lurking blue shirt.

Needham went agonisingly close to a fourth (88'), Aden Chandler ghosted past his marker brilliantly to reach the left-hand byline and cut the ball back on a plate for Coldwell free from 7-yards out, but the striker's first time shot went just over.

Leiston released 17 through on goal (95'), but fired his shot just over, as Fin Brock's (97') fantastic control and shot on the turn was held by Torrance.

Luke Betts' side are at home for the second of three straight home matches next Thursday against Walsham Le Willows (7:45pm).

Double goalscorer Dawson Coldwell said, "Yeah, it was good. I think we started off well. We had a couple of the 16 boys coming in, so that was good. It was mainly just the new first years and I think we all adapted pretty well." 

On scoring twice to kick off the season, the striker added, "yeah, very proud of myself. I was getting into the game and when that first goal came I just got the fluid of it, and I was just rolling, so it was all good. Just buzzing, just over the moon, because we went 1-0 up and then it was 1-1, and then that goal to start winning again, it's just amazing, and then to even get more of a cushion with our third goal, it's just amazing." 

After winning the league last season Coldwell is eyeing another successful campaign, "Even more than last year. Yeah, very excited.

"Hopefully (back up tonight's win). More goals to come. That's the tally."

Needham Market:- 1 Jake Bloom, 2 Ellis Beech (Brittain), 3 Danylo Konik (Watts), 4 Fenton Grimmer, 5 Jack Nunn (c), 6 Charlie Fox, 7 Aden Chandler, 8 Riley Parker (Randell), 9 Dawson Coldwell, 10 Kyle Roper, 19 Finlay Brock. Subs: 15 Kaio Brittain, 16 Cohen Watts, 17 Lewis Randell.

Leiston:- 1 Louis Torrance, 2 Spencer Mayhew, 3 Freddie O'Connor, 4 Ollie Doddswell, 5 Mathew Sears, 6 Andrei Cusca, 7 Declan Hart, 8 Dylan Nye, 9 Hano Hawar (C), 10 Keagan Hogue, 11 Ashton Rayworth. Subs: 12 Kian Brock, 14 Ollie Gaffer, 15 Josh Shanks, 16 Harley Smith, 17 Oscar Wynne.

Booked: Ashton Rayworth (13').

Goals: Kyler Roper (10'), Dawson Coldwell (43', 47'); Ashton Rayworth (29').