POST MATCH REACTION | KEVIN HORLOCK INTERVIEW | NEEDHAM MARKET V BURY TOWN | PSF | 26.07.2022

After Tuesday's victory over Bury Town (report HERE), I spoke to Needham Manager Kevin Horlock, who reflected on the game and previewed both the Felixstowe friendly on Friday, and also looked ahead briefly to the league opener away to AFC Rushden + Diamonds. 

DK: A nice 4-0 win over the local rivals!

KH: What did I make of it? Yeah, look it's pleasing, obviously pre-season still I know, but winning's a habit, so we want to perform well and I thought tonight, I thought we did. We bought Trialist 7 in at the 12th hour, I thought he played really well tonight, added a different dimension to us. So to get four goals, and a clean sheet, no injuries, so it's yeah it's been a good night for us tonight!

DK: As you say Trialist 7 was unlucky to have a hat-trick, himself, on another night!

KH: Yeah, he's been a little bit rushed in terms of I've only met him today, and we've obviously agreed a deal for him to come across to us, then threw him in the starting (eleven). I think it's important that new players obviously get minutes, and get to know what we're about, but I thought he's an unbelievable footballer. (He) takes care of the football, gets in really good areas, and yeah on another day he could have scored a couple, but I'll take that from him getting in them areas, because there's no doubt that the lad's going to do well and score goals for us. 

DK: It was the perfect preparation, for obviously we've got Felixstowe still to come on Friday, but also the Rushden game, Saturday following, with Trialist 15 getting another goal, Trialist 11 getting another goal and Trialist 14 getting his first Needham goal as well.

KH: Yeah look, you want goals in your team, and if they can be shared around then that's great, but you want your centre-forward scoring, which is good for Trialist 15. Obviously Seth scored the other day as well, I think pre-season's just about getting the balance right, in terms

of you don't always want to blitz teams and win games, like we have done comfortably tonight. You want games where we obviously was up against it against Ipswich, it was too early, we didn't have a squad together. We've not played well in certain games, Braintree being one of them, but it's about getting that timing right, and getting a mixture of games and results, and hopefully the time is right. We look good tonight, so hopefully we can do that again on Friday against Felixstowe, and obviously get prepared and ready for the first league fixture. 

DK: As we talked about, they were well worked goals tonight, obviously that's something that you're hoping will transpire into league games.

KH: Yeah, look there was no denying the fact that we were trying to bring players in the forward areas. Obviously we lost Pagey (Callum Page) and Harvey Sayer, obviously on loan going back to the parent clubs. Fowkesy, obviously

moving on to Braintree, Ingers (Luke Ingram) having the injury, so we were in need of reinforcement in forward areas. Obviously I think Trialist 11's come in and been a revelation, if he continues like this I'm probably going to struggle to keep hold of him, because he's tore it up, so he's been a massive positive. Obviously Trialist 7's come in today, Trialist 15's come in and scores goals and added to the group. Obviously Seth (Chambers) has come in and scored goals, and we know what a future Seth could have. So it's been about time in pre-season, obviously the season is coming upon us, but I haven't panicked in signing anybody. I've got signed the right players for this group, right players football wise and mentality, which I think we have, and I think everyone's hopefully looking forward to the season! We'll see the fruits of our labour, in terms of the squad we've put together, I'm hoping for a big season for us!

DK: Would you call it a clinical performance tonight?

KH: Yeah, I think so! I think we could have scored more, I think at half time, I did say that was one thing that we were missing the first half, we wasn't clinical enough. We create chance and it should have been four or five, and I 

don't think anyone could have argued, but we got the goals in the end, it could have been more but it was a controlled performance. I don't think they ever really troubled us, we looked dominant, and we look dangerous going forward. So, yeah it was pleasing!

DK: Is this the full squad now are you looking for any more?

KH: Potentially one more, we'll see I'll probably know over the next couple of days, or 24 hours. If that doesn't happen, then it doesn't happen, but I think maybe one more at some point, but like I said I'm not going to rush into anything. It's got to be the right player for this football club, it's got to be the right player football wise, mentality, work ethic, training attitude and everything. Them players ain't always just hanging around everywhere, you've got to be patient and wait for that right person, so that's what I'll do. Obviously there's options of loans as well, and obviously the good young players that Manty's bringing through the 23s, so I'm a pretty lucky manager in that respect, I'm not going to make any knee jerk reactions on

signing anybody. It'll have to be the right player. 

DK: Looking forward to the Felixstowe game, will you see it as a similar type of game to tonight?

KH: Look, it's the last (friendly) game obviously, by Friday we're also then looking forward to the first league game of season - obviously lads are vying for places in the team, l so I imagine it will be a similar game (to) tonight, in terms of two local teams willing to win, but it's just putting the final touches to what we're going to do first game of the

season. And hopefully, we'll be ready to go. Hopefully, I'll have a full squad to pick from come the first league game. 

POST MATCH REACTION | TOM ROTHERY INTERVIEW | NEEDHAM MARKET V MALDON + TIPTREE | PSF | 23.07.2022

After Needham Market's pre-season friendly at home to Maldon + Tiptree (REPORT HERE) on Saturday, I caught up with Assistant Manager Tom Rothery to discuss the game and the remaining friendlies ahead. 

DK: Another good pre-season run out today!

TR: Yeah, really hot conditions again, probably hotter than

even we expected it to be. I saw it was going to be about 25, 26 (degrees), but it felt hot, I don't know what it is today, but it felt hot. But yeah, good workout only Dan (Morphew) missing. Obviously still trying to manage players minutes you know, and be a little bit cautious and careful around people, and got a few knocks. But yeah, overall good workout, quite a hard workout! Maldon give us a good game so yeah, box ticked I suppose is the best way to put it.

DK: A nice assist from Patch (Patrick Brothers) for Seth (Chambers)'s goal!

TR: Yeah I said, really Marco (Marcus Garnham) made a couple of really good saves in the first half, but I still felt we had the better of it. I mean we had probably four or five very similar chances, sort of eight, ten, yards from goal where it looks like it's going to (go in), sometimes it weren't the cleanest contact, it looks like he's going to scuff beyond the goalkeeper - he just seemed to seem to stop it with his legs, or his body or whatever, but yeah I thought overall we had the better chances. I thought it was quite an even gain really, wasn't too much in it, but you know I thought we did well at times. There's still things that we need to do better, obviously, but that's the whole point of pre-season. You know we're not going to be the finished article now. So yeah, it's not settled down still, which is really frustrating, I said last week before, it would be settled down by even Tuesday, but definitely by the

the game today and it still hasn't. And again like I said last week pre-season is just false. You've got Archie (Exworth) and Louie (McDonagh) have come on for the last few minutes to help them (Maldon) out. Keiran (Morphew)'s come off at half time, nothing wrong with him, but did, I mean you don't do that in the end game. It just changes the flow of the game. I decided first half I'm going to play a certain formation, second half I'm going to play the old formation. You wouldn't do that in a league game, because if things aren't working you change it, so there is always that falseness in pre-season. Again, I said last week you should never get over excited you should never get too down beat. Look, there's still things that we need to improve on, there's things that you can see coming together, and there's things that you can see that we still need to work on. So it is what it is, but yeah we're heading the right way! What was pleasing, and obviously, they only had 12 players, that's why Archie and Louie helped them out in the end, but I still felt our fitness was really good at the end, because actually I thought there were good spells in that in that part, when we moved Trialist10 over to the left especially. I thought we started getting a lot of good crosses in the box, so fitness is not too far off where we want to be really, so that's good.

Seth Chambers scores the winner against Maldon.

DK: As you say today was the closest we've had to our

most probable 11 for when we go to Rushden.

TR: I wouldn't say necessarily the 11, because there's players in there that had to get minutes today so they started - they wouldn't necessarily start yet in the league, so no it wasn't. I said that to the players before, Fitzy (Tom Fitzgerald) and Taylor (Clark), for example, have had a lot more minutes than other players - so that's why Fitzy and Taylor didn't start, but Noah for example didn't need minutes. Patch (Patrick Brothers) needed minutes, so there were other players, Hammo (Kyle Hammond) missed last week, so there were other players that had to get minutes today, more than certain other players, so I wouldn't say that's close to our starting 11 - but it was it was better not having as many players away, obviously there was only Dan away and *Trialist*' got an injury obviously, so yeah but other than that everyone was available.

DK: It can be slightly frustrating in that sense when... 

TR: It's really frustrating, really frustrating, I feel like the last three weeks me and Kevin have had so many messages and phone calls about players, and trying to get them signing, and that's why I hate pre-season! You know, come August 6th, and look there'll always be changes after August the 6th, but you know come August that's your squad, and then when players leave or players come in, it just gets done. You don't spend weeks and weeks, and weeks, discussing with them and trying to negotiate - it just either happens or it doesn't! So, from that point of view like I said again today, even though I thought it was a good workout, I still don't like it! Today you know the players are not always, even though I feel there's a lot of players out there that are giving 100%, you're not going to give a hundred, you're not going to be full quote. Because, it is pre-season, like I said you're making false changes you're playing around with tactics and shape. And like I said last week, you've got to do it, because you've got to get ready for August 6th, but regardless what goes on in pre-season, all that's important is that on august the 6th we've got who we've got signed on. Me and Kev will know on that given day, what our best what our best starting 11 is, which obviously will change at various times during the season, and what our best shape is. And I believe we'll be at that place on August 6th, so that's all that needs to happen really. But yeah I'll be well and truly glad when the pre-season's over, because I've just never liked it, I hate it.

DK: We'll just hope and see!

TR: Obviously we started with a different shape first half, but you need options, you play this shape, that's whatever, but you need options! Obviously Luke he's had his surgery, he'll be back September time, so he can play through the middle or out wide obviously so that will give us another option. And obviously a very good option when he's back, but you know before he comes back, we need at least one more. I mean ideally, if I'm being brutally honest, I want two, because you need competition. You don't want anyone getting complacent, I don't think that will happen anyway with the players that we've got, but you just need that competition through your team. 

DK: In my opinion, this is like the strongest and best competition for places, we've had at this club, and the best. No offense to the lads like Seth, they they deserve this chance to come through, and they've taken it, but also on the other hand, it's good to have those...

TR: You need players that can have played this level, you need senior players, you need that competition within the squad. And I think with the younger players what needs to happen, because younger players need to gain experience and they don't need to be thrown in at the deep end, so they need at times to play, at times to be in the squad, at times they'll need to come out of the squad to get minutes. So we'll just have to see how that goes really. 

DK: On to Tuesday's game, any bit of certain team news?

TR: Dan still won't be back. *Trialist's* 10 days, so he's seen Jenks today. Dan is the only other one. 

DK: Perfect, so yeah, all in all it's looking very positive, and hopefully we can start the season in a better way than we did last year. 

TR: That's the plan mate!

POST MATCH REACTION | KEVIN HORLOCK INTERVIEW | NEEDHAM MARKET V IPSWICH WANDERERS| SUFFOLK CHAMPIONS CHARITY CUP | PSF | 12.07.2022

Following last night's Needham Market's Suffolk Champions Charity Cup penalty shootout win over Ipswich Wanderers, REPORT HERE, I spoke to manager Kevin Horlock.

DK: Nice to get a bit of silverware in pre-season! 

KH: Yeah I think it's always nice, obviously we're the holders, so we come into it wanting to retain it so it's

nice to do that. We went the hard way about it, we

wasn't great tonight, we're a little bit short obviously numbers. Everyone knows obviously the injuries we got and people missing, but if we got here in the end. I said in the previous interview, I've said in the changing rooms winning is a habit, so we've won the last two so we'll take that and we'll definitely be better than we were tonight. It was massive for them to come here, obviously being the lower league team, they wanted to put one over on us and rightly so, and I thought they played reasonably well. Albeit we didn't play great, but at the end of the day, after all we all go home tonight, and tomorrow to say that Needham won so we'll take that and move on.

DK: Do you think the scoreline reflected the game?

KH: I don't know really, we had a few chances even when we were down to 10 men, which stretched us a little bit even more. We had a few half chances, which on another day I think we score. I know they've had a few chances, I think (Matt) Blake hit the inside of the post, great save from Marco (Marcus Garnham). So I don't know maybe 0-0 or 1-1 was a fair result, and obviously it goes into penalties - which we meant to do really, because we did that to so Marco could get some practice! So it all went to

plan really! A penalty shootout, Marco gets a chance to save penalties, so it went exactly how we wanted it to!

DK: Taylor (Clark) scored a good penalty himself, in the first half, to make it 1-0!

KH: Yeah the lad's composed, he's got so much ability, still really young, and he's got the world at his feet he keeps listening and progressing and improving like he is, he could end up anywhere.

DK: Was it his decision, or your decision, whose decision was it to take the penalty?

KH: I think penalties, I know you probably nominate a penalty taker at the start of the season, but I think certainly in pre-season, in games like this, I'm a big believer and whoever's confident enough to take it, to take it! I think that's the best way, so he was brave enough to step up and it was a cool finish!

DK: Onto the penalties, some more good saves from Marco to obviously win the shoot out. Good penalties from Kyle (Hammond), Trialist11 and Fitzy (Tom Fitzgerald) as well!

KH: Yeah, as soon as it went to penalties I knew we was going to win! Marco's the penalty king, he's shown it so often! He's a master at it, so as soon as we went to penalties, I knew our name was going to be on the cup!

DK: Ultimately, as we've said it's nice to retain it!

KH: Yeah it's important, look, at the end of the day, we are short, we have got bodies missing - probably missing five or six today, who would probably get in around, or in the starting eleven! So we was light and they're a lower league team, so it's still important that we win tonight, albeit on penalties. But it's a win, I think that's really important for a club like us, that wants to progress, you need to beat teams that are in the lower division. Even teams like Ipswich Wanderers, who are a decent team with players that possibly could play higher, so it was a test for us tonight, but we come for it and won it so that's pleasing! 

DK: I know it's only, what two, three days since the last game, but is there any more updates?

KH: Not as yet not as yet, there's conversations still to be had. I'm hoping, hopefully maybe be someone in the door by Saturday, if not it might be the week after. We'll have to

see, but look it's frustrating. I know Needham fans want to want to hear names, and see players coming in, but they need to trust me on it. By the time season starts, well before that middle of pre-season, we'll have bodies in and the squad will be looking how we want it to look, how we want it to look, so we'll be really competitive this season.

DK: Any team news ahead of Saturday's game?

KH: Probably Keiran (Morphew)'s still out, and again Keiran and being Keiran, he wanted to play tonight. But I'm not risking him, in it he's he's obviously a massive player for us, a massive figure, so I need him fit for the start of the season - so I'm not going to push him into tonight's game. And he'll probably miss saturday as well I imagine, and then we just have to see on the rest. 

DK: So will it be roughly the same squad?

KH: I think there'll be a few back I'll see Jake Dye, you've got Patch (Patrick Brothers) away as well, so there's still a few a few missing, so yeah we'll see. We'll probably have another couple of bodies back by Saturday.

DK: In the other end, there will be Fowkesy (Ben Fowkes) coming back, will you see that in your mind?

KH: No, look it's another pre-season game, I think that the boot's on the other foot really, like today, we're the lower league team, we shouldn't really have a chance. You want to pit yourself against teams in the higher division, obviously look Fowkesy, I always like working with the lad, you know he's a great kid, he wants to progress, he's got a great move going to Braintree. So I'll shake his hand on the way in, and he's been great for us. He's got a lot of

good goals, just hopefully he's not quite shooting boots on Saturday!

DK: What was the most pleasing thing about tonight for you?

KH: I think the biggest positive is retaining it I think, we've got minutes in the tank, we wasn't great. I think the standout performers were probably Kyle Hammond and Trialist11, I thought Trislist12 come on and look lively, the rest were a little bit by below par, but look it's early days. We obviously played Saturday, gone with a similar team, so lads have played probably more football than I have liked. If I've had more lads available, then I'd have rotated a little bit more, so there was there was positives, the biggest positives that we've got the trophy again, so we're top team in Suffolk! 

POST MATCH REACTION | KEVIN HORLOCK | NEEDHAM MARKET V ST NEOTS TOWN | PSF | 09.07.2022

Following Saturday's 4-0 pre-season friendly win over St Neots (report can be viewed HERE, I caught up with Needham manager Kevin Horlock to get his thoughts on the game, pre-season so far and a look ahead to tonight's (Tuesday 12th July) Suffolk Champions Charity Cup (as Suffolk Premier Cup holders)/friendly with Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties Premier Division side Ipswich Wanderers (holders of the Suffolk Senior Cup).

Kevin Horlock watches on during his side's 4-0 win over St Neots on Saturday.

DK: A good start to pre-season, what'd you make of it? 

KH: Yeah, I enjoyed it, I thought we performed really well! Obviously, last game against Ipswich was probably, like I said in an interview, it is a bit soon. We still haven't got our full squad together, we've got lads missing today, so it's an opportunity for others. I mean it was an opportunity for the young lads. And it was just a good performance all round really, after last week with bodies missing again today, it was important that we performed well, we worked hard which we did, we looked organized, and we looked a threat. So as far as pre-season goes I was pretty pleased with that, although in the big scheme of things it doesn't mean a thing does it once a season starts, but there was positive signs. Lads have done themselves justice today and hopefully like I've said in there (changing room), winning's a habit, keeping clean sheets is a habit, so hopefully we can continue to do that throughout pre-season, it goes into our league campaign. 

DK: Fitting we're standing just beside the goal that Trialist scored that stunning free- kick as well! 

KH: Yeah to be fair when we got it I said 'oh, that's perfect for left foot, it's a sort of area that I'd have liked to have taken a free-kick, but he still showed that the technique and poison, the ability to get it over the wall and in the corner. So yeah it was nice, because we don't score many goals from set pieces, or we didn't last year anyway so that's a real positive sign. 

DK: All the goals really were very good. 

KH: Oh they were pleasing today, because it's stuff that we spoke about, we spoke about forward runs, which Taylor Clark made a forward run from midfield and got in. They're all real pleasing today, yeah. 

KH: I'm still talking to another three or four, so hopefully over the next 10 days, seven days, we'll have a few more bodies in. More competition for places and the squad will be looking roughly like I want it to look. So yeah there's a big seven days ahead of us and hopefully we can add to the undoubted ability we got. The young lads that I've got at my disposal, which Manty, and Aaron Hall and Colin Grogan have done an excellent job with and Luke Betts, so yeah I'm very fortunate to be manager of Needham's first team. So, if I get the players that I'm speaking to to add to the ones we've got, and the ones we've got coming through the Academy, and the ones that have stayed here from last season, we'll be in good shape, so hopefully that that lends itself to hopefully a really strong season. 

DK: And as you say with the youngsters, Flynn (Crosthwaite) who obviously played against Ipswich, I think Mo (Igwebuike) made his debut for the first team today, Dimi(tri Gayle) I think has played once or twice before Archie (Exworth) obviously played last season, etcetera etcetera, they did really well coming off the bench. 

KH: Yeah look, I've said it all along, I want to create a real clear pathway for young players, that need a market that come into the Academy, that the potential to get to Needham's first team is there, it's there if you're good enough it's there. I don't care about age, if you're good enough you'll get an opportunity, but it's not easy you have to earn it we've got good players at this football club already, so they've got to work hard and try and show me that they're good enough and if they do that then they get a chance. 

DK: Tuesday we look to obviously defend the suffolk Champions Charity Cup I think it's called against a tough team in (Ipswich) Wanderers, despite the levels below is that how you'll see it? 

KH: Yeah, they look they've got good players though, I know a few of them, they're going to be a tough outfit. They're also going to be mad for it as well, which why wouldn't they be - we will be as well. And hopefully we're at full strength, we've got some more bodies back that weren't here today and hopefully it can be a good game, and a good spectacle, for everyone to see. 

DK: Will you see it in the sense of a more competitive game or will you see it still as just a friendly? 

KH: It's still a pre-season game as such, but it's for charity which is the main thing, which is really good, but also on the

back of it you do get silverware. We won it last year, so we want to win it, and like I said at the start of the interview winning is a habit I want to create that habit, so we'll be going out to win the game, we won't be going out there just to be participating. 

More pre-season interviews to follow in due course...

BEN FOWKES | END OF 2021-22 SEASON NMFC Q+A 11

Having scored 19 goals for the Marketmen last season, Ben Fowkes reflected on how he felt his final season with the club went, and discusses his time with the club. 

1. First of, congratulations on your move to Braintree, a well deserved move for you - but can you put in to words how you found your time at Needham?

BF: Yeah thank you! One I’m very much looking forward too. My time at Needham was great! Enjoyed it very much wanna say thank you to Kev, Tom, munno and everyone at the club for their help and wish them the best.

2. Now the season is complete, how do you feel the season went overall? 

BF: Season was okay, we done well in the Trophy and winning the Suffolk cup but I felt we could have performed so much better especially in the league.

3. How did the season fare in terms of personal and team targets, must have felt nice to have surpassed 50 NMFC appearances?

BF: Yeah it was a good season scoring 19 from wide left, yeah getting more then 50 caps has been a pleasure!

4. Looking back at the FA Trophy run now, how do you reflect on it? Can you pick a standout moment?

BF: Coor standout moment would be Yeovil . Scoring in front of 1600 was great, then winning on pens was unreal!

5. Do you remember much about what was going through your mind during that specific moment?

BF: Was over the moon when we won, best feeling I’ve had so far in football.

6. Can you describe how it felt to be the club's second top scorer last season, with 19 goals?

BF: Yeah scorings great but wish we could of finished higher.

7. Would you say of those goals, that your strike at Yeovil was the biggest Needham goal you scored, if not which one?

BF: Yeah that goal at Yeovil was unreal. Definitely the biggest moment of my career so far.

8. Can you talk us through that goal at Yeovil?

BF: I gambled and then knew I had to lift it into the top corner as the keeper ran out and luckily it went in.

9. Any point in either cup run or season in general you knew something special could be round the corner?

BF: When we beat Yeovil I knew we could do something special.

10. Must have been nice to win the Suffolk Premier Cup for second straight season, what did you make of the game itself and the shootout?

BF: Yeah was great to win some silverware, game wasn’t great but a wins a win!

11. Looking back at the FA Cup and League Cup, would it be fair to say you're disappointed with how both competitions went for us?

BF: Could have been better and we all know that.

12. Are there any league games that stand out to you?

BF: Winning at Stratford scoring last minute was great. Also at Hitchin winning 6-1 was amazing!

13. Best game from a personal/team perspective?

BF: Best game was Yeovil personally!

14. Your player of the season and why?

BF: Marco was great all season and saved us alot of times!

15. If you could relive any full game from this season, which one would you pick and why?

BF: Would relive that Yeovil game all over again, would be sick tho watching the pens again haha!