After Saturday's 1-0 win for Needham over Felixstowe, Academy players James Letts (midfielder), Ben Smith (Defender), Flynn Crosthwaite and Ollie Fraser all sat down to reflect on the win.
DK: Starting off with you, Lettsy, how did it feel to score your first First team goal?
JL: It was good feeling to score, help the team get the win, and keep that momentum for the start of the season with a win!
DK: Took the goal well as well!
JL: Yeah, I was pleased, it was a good low finish.
DK: Moving onto you Ben, how did it feel to make your First Team debut?
BS: Yeah, it was a brilliant feeling to make my debut for the club, I've been here since I was Under-13, so to make my debut means a lot, as obviously Needham's part of me now, so yeah it was a nice feeling.
DK: Did it make it even more special to make your debut at Bloomfields?
BS: Yeah, course, obviously, I've been here for years and years so to make it here was a good feeling.
DK: Flynn, how did it feel getting the assist for the goal?
FC: Yeah, it's always good to get the assist for the winner, and yeah, I heard Lettsy screaming for it, so I've passed it across, Jamie (McGrath)'s dummied it and he's took it well. So yeah, felt good to get the assist to help in the game.
DK: Did you feel it was a good game as well?
FC: I thought, obviously, we didn't play as well as we would've liked but if you can play badly and still win you know you've got a good team coming together, and in patches I think we done things really well that we'd worked on the training ground, so it was good to have some combinations of play that were what we love to see.
DK: Back to you Ben, did it make it feel better and feel more at ease having quite a lot of your teammates from the Academy alongside you?
BS: Yeah no it was a good feeling. Obviously I've played football with them for a few years now, it made it easier coming into a higher level environment, it helps me.
DK: Lettsy, how has it felt to have now played 3 games for the First Team?
JL: It felt good, got some minutes throughout the games against good level opponents at step 6, 5, and now 4, so it's felt really good!
DK: Gradually playing teams at higher levels.
JL: Yeah, it's been a real good test, last year with the Ressies (Under-23s) it was step 6 teams, and now I've tested myself against a step 5 team and now a step 4 team, it felt really good.
DK: Are you feeling that natural progression?
JL: Yeah, I think it's been good, having good players around you help you through it and talk to you, there's lots to take away and learn from.
DK: Has it also made it easier for you settling in with the First Team, having Flynn, Ben, Ollie, Taylor, Seth, all around you?
JL: Yeah, knowing the boys from the Academy on a day to day basis is good, yeah the banter's there and you just know them all, so it's good.
DK: Ollie, talk us through your two goals at Holland?
OF: Obviously I've come on as a sub, so I thought I needed to make my impact and I thought the first one's come to me after Flynn and Lettsy's head and I've just seen the goal and thought top bins, so volleyed it and thankfully it went in. Second goal, didn't really think much of it, just got the ball and looked up, had a shot and it went in! So yeah!
DK: Are you enjoying pre-season so far?
OF: Yeah, pre-season's been tough, Tom's put us through our paces a bit in training, games have been good quality so yeah, it's been good.
DK: Lettsy, having played the second part of second part did that make it any easier for you?
JL: I played with Flynn a lot last season in the Under-23s, me and him, in the midfield so felt more comfortable playing with someone that you've known better and played with before.
DK: Playing with more experienced lads, how much has that helped you during this pre-season so far?
FC: They've played at a higher level longer, so they know stuff that's required to make you better and I think the advice they give from the older lads in the dressing room, like mentally and during the game give you good information to perform better and at a higher level, it's been good getting experience from them!
DK: Looking forward to Tuesday?
FC: Yeah, Tuesday should be good! Obviouly they're a lower level opposition, but it's obviously Charity Cup game so you want to win it and keep up the winning streak going into the season!
DK: Ben, how did it feel playing second half?
BS: I've came from Under-13s playing Centre half, always been a centre-half, so it's nice to make my debut as a centre-half for the club. Nice to be playing with experienced players as well, sometimes at Ressies level we're young and don't get that helping along that sometimes you maybe need, credit to Shaneo (Shane Wardley). It's been good.
DK: Was it something that when you got the call up, did you feel a bit of nerves, excitement?
BS: No, I was absolutely buzzing, when you get that message, it was a nice feeling getting the call up, knowing the club value you and yeah I was really buzzing.
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