An entertaining in house friendly within the Needham Market Reserves and Under-23's teams ended in a six goal thrilling encounter to kick off the 2025 pre-season schedule.
While most impressed at times, James Coton took the limelight - scoring the first goal for the home side before adding four more after the restart for the away side to turn the match on it's head.
Flynn Bobby's 3rd minute dangerous 25-yard free-kick curled over the wall before dipping towards Bloom's bottom near right-hand corner though the keeper watched it well to beat it away in the wind, as the winger dragged the rebound wide of the near post.
Kellen Fiddy then drove into space inside the box but saw two shots well blocked, the second by Harry Hopkins as the home side dominated possession in the opening six minutes.
Fiddy again broke through into the box four minutes later but saw his low shot creeping into the bottom right-hand corner well saved by Bloom.
Jack Nunn was then adjudged to have handled a cross into the box in the eleventh minute, which James Coton dispatched cooly into the bottom right-hand corner, sending Bloom the wrong way smartly.
Ben Smith then hit an ambitious shot from outside the box wide on 15 minutes as the home side continued their good start, looking firmly on the front foot.
At the other end, Zack Tamila drove forward in possession before cleverly threading Harlyn Palmer whose shot was blocked behind by Kairo Britain in the visitors' first real attack on 22 minutes, as Charlie Skinner claimed the resulting corner.
Ben Smith however headed just over Flynn Bobby's 25th minute right wing corner from 6 yards out, while Jack Nunn saw a shot blocked on the half hour mark.
Harlyn Palmer meanwhile weaved into space to shoot just outside the box but his shot was comfortably held by Charlie Skinner on 33 minutes as the away side grew into the game well.
Palmer then wrapped a low cross straight at Skinner on his line moments later, before Zack Tamila headed Harry Hopkins' great right wing cross narrowly over on 35 minutes.
Five minutes before the break, the Reds doubled their lead as Flynn Bobby's low shot from the right-hand side deflected to Kellen Fiddy to tap home at the far post at point blank range in the last action of the first half.
Thirteen minutes after the break, Skinner was alert to palm a corner away in an even start to the second half.
Nine minutes later a great right wing corner was met by Sam Collinson at the far post whose superb header was brilliantly beaten away by the quick reactions of Bloom as the defence cleared off the line.
Brittain then had a shot well blocked soon after, while James Coton halved the deficit on 73 minutes. Having switched sides at the break, Coton picked up possession threading Palmer through with a brilliant through-ball down the right wing before smashing home into the top left-hand, far, corner to score for both sides.
Coton then completed arguably the weirdest ever hattrick on 81 minutes, exploiting space on the left-hand side to find the bottom far corner.
Two minutes later another good effort from Coton was well held by Skinner, before Coton scored a hattrick for the away side on 86 minutes as his shot from distance as Skinner tried to control the ball but miscontrolled it and couldn't keep it out.
He then scored his 4th of the half and fifth of the game two minutes later, breaking onto the left-hand side before picking out the bottom far corner, wrapping it home with ease.
Star Man Coton continued to look hungry for more, taking the Man Of The Match accolade just ahead of Kellen Fiddy with a lot of impressive performances.
Max Keen impressed, as did Ryan Pitt and Kaio Brittain in particular.
First Half Teams:-
Home Side:- 1 Charlie Skinner, 2 Ben Smith, 3 Kaio Brittain, 4 Frenton Grimmer, 5 Ryan Pitt, 6 Kellen Fiddy, 7 Flynn Bobby, 8 Josh Tennial, 9 Henry Viera, 10 James Coton, 18 Olly Bowman. Subs: 14 Oliver Chmielewski, 15 Jack Coombs, 16 Alfie Scully, 17 Sam Collinson.
Away Side:-1 Jake Bloom, 2 Mehdi Tazerout, 3 Brad Smith, 15 Max Keen, 5 Oliver Reynolds (c), 6 Charlie Smy, 7 Harlyn Palmer, 8 Jack Nunn, 9 Evan Gledhill, 10 Harry Hopkins, 11 Zack Tamila. Subs: 14 Josh Guffey, 16 Archie Pickett.
2nd Half and Overall Ratings:-
Home: Skinner 6 (7), Ben Smith 5 (6.5), Brittain 8 (79' Grimmer 6.5), Chmielewski 5.8, Pitt 8, Fiddy 8.6 (53' Viera 7.5), Bobby 7, Coombs 5.9, Scully 5.9, Collinson 5.9, Bowman 6.5. Tennial 5.9.
Away: Bloom 7, Tazerout 7.5, Brad Smith 7, Keen 8.6, Reynolds 6.9, Smy 6, Palmer 6, Gledhill 5.8 (65' Nunn 6.5), Guffey 5.8, Pickett 5.8, Hopkins 7. Tamila 5, Coton (60' on) 10.
Goals: James Coton (11'pen), Kellen Fiddy (40'); James Coton (73', 81', 86', 88').
REACTION:-
James Coton Post Match Interview | Needham Reserves In House Friendly | 05.07.2025 |
DK: Well, what a way to mark the first game back, scoring five goals overall, you must be delighted.
JC: Yeah, just being in the right place. Do you know what I mean? And then you got scoring, so I'm pleased with that.
DK: You don't normally have a game where you score one for one side and then four for the other.
JC: Yeah, no, I don't. Yeah, well, I mean, helping out another team's good. So, yeah, just enjoying it really.
DK: How did you find the game in general?
JC: I found it alright. Obviously, it's tough for some of the boys, especially me. You know, you're off and then you have to come back. You're straight back into football. The intensity of the sessions, I've had an intense week. The coaches have been pushing us. So, yeah, obviously, it's tough having a game at the end of the week.
DK: Five very well-taken goals as well.
JC: Yeah, it is. Yeah, I just slotted them. Just done the business, didn't I, Drew? That's how it is at the end of the day. That's football.
DK: Does that give you a bit of bragging rights within the squad?
JC: I guess it does. I can tell Skinner that he should be saving them. But, yeah, no, it's nice to score goals. That's what I enjoy doing. I felt bad for Skinner, but you've still got to be there, you know, press the goalkeepers down and score the goals when they come.
DK: That must be the first time that you've ever done something quite like that.
JC: Yeah, well, yeah, definitely at my age as well. At 17, definitely. But when I was younger, you know, I used to win 10-0 every game, but, obviously, now it's a lot harder. We've a lot like, you know, you've got good first years Coming into the building. Second year is obviously really strong. So, yeah.
DK: That's normally you'd be pleased with scoring one or two first game back, but to have done that already, you've set the standards high.
JC: Yeah, obviously, yeah. Now, I've got to continue it. I've given me confidence for the rest of the season. Hopefully, I can continue it, you know, stay on good form.
