REACTION | Charlie Skinner Post Match Interview | Needham Market v Brantham Athletic |
DK: How did you find it making your first team debut?
CS: Yes it felt amazing when I got told that I was going to be involved and obviously was even more excited when I knew I was gonna be coming on in the second half.
DK: Coming off the bench is never easy, but you handled it well?
CS: Thanks, yeah I found I handled it well it’s a shame to concede after a strong comfortable first half from the lads but I felt like I kept my focus throughout the rest of the game.
DK: You must be proud of the last year you've had at the club, playing for the U23s and winning the cup with the U18s so where does this rank among those?
CS: Winning the cup with the U18s was a great and a big achievement for the club but since joining the academy the main aim for me has been to play for the first team so definitely up there with those.
DK: A crucial penalty save from you maintained our advantage, which must be a proud moment for you?
CS: Yes definitely a proud moment for me but also saving to for the team and gave me a lot of confidence for the rest of the game.
DK: What went through your mind as the penalty was being taken and you making the save?
CS: As a keeper it’s my job to keep it out of the net so just trying to do my best to save it. As the striker lined up and put to my right I knew I had it covered.
DK: How have you found pre-season overall so far?
CS: Yeah I found my pre season has going really well feeling very fit and sharp and can’t wait to start the season with the reserves.
Needham Market Reserves v Coplestonians | 12.07.2025 | REPORT & REACTION |
Reserves Manager James Mant called it a successful day, after a team comprised of the Reserves and Under-23's drew 3-3 with SIL Premier League side Coplestonians, having seen seven current Reserve Team players feature for the First Team against Brantham Athletic, six of them being first team debuts.
"It's just a really good experience for them to go and taste what men's football is like in a dressing room where people put more expectation on you, where winning is everything. I think, ultimately, for me, it's about them going in there, experiencing that and using it as motivation to try and come back into the reserves and do better in order for them to try and get into the first team in the next couple of years."
Kell Fiddy's goal inside twenty minutes meant the game was 1-1 until the young Marketmen were awarded a penalty just after the half-hour mark, which Henry Vieira sent the keeper the wrong way to confidently find the bottom left-hand corner on 32 minutes.
Vieira then fired a shot on the turn narrowly over threw minutes later, while the forward was slotted through one on one inside the box but saw his low shot blocked by the keeper on 38 minutes.
Needham then added a third moments later, as Olly Bowman latched onto a great through-ball down the left-hand side before finishing smartly into the bottom far corner for a 3-1 half-time lead.
A complete fresh eleven started the second half, as Sam Collinson shot narrowly wide of the right-hand post from outside the box on 48 minutes, while Cops finished well into the bottom far corner from the left-hand side on 58 minutes.
Needham then dragged a well hit low shot from inside the box just wide of the bottom far, left-hand, corner on 76 minutes, before Needham saw a smart low cross turned goalwards a yard out at the back post saved three minutes later.
Danylo Konik broke smartly down the left-hand side before cutting it back smartly to Josh Tennial who thundered his volley over on 85 minutes.
Two minutes later, Cops equalised after latching onto a ball over the top to smash home into the top left-hand corner.
Oscar Wakeling then fired a good strike from 35-yards narrowly wide on the stroke of stoppage time, three minutes into which the Reds rattled the right-hand upright to finish an entertaining game.
"(It was) really good to see all of the boys in action, 45 minutes for everyone. Lots of first-year students getting their first taste of men's football. All in all, a really pleasing day. I think we tried to apply the principles that we looked to apply in both halves of the game. Both XI's tried to do it to the best of their ability. Lots of the work that we've done in training over the course of the last two weeks, you could really see come evident in today's game. So, for me, it's a really pleasing game. On the Academy players gaining experience against a senior in Coplestonians Mant said, "they've obviously done really well last year. I think they finished third in the SIL. So, for our boys to go and compete the way they did today, I think it's really pleasing."
When asked about the overall performance in particular Mant added, "some of the boys that played in the first half have obviously been with the reserves last season, so the experience that they've gained from that, they could apply into the first half. The second half squad was a little bit younger, the average age, and some of those players haven't played as much football. So, yeah, our first half performance was strong and we really came alive after the first 20 minutes (with) some good goals. Nice to see Olly Bowman score at the back post. We keep talking about players getting in at the back post and we've been yet to see it really last season. So, I'm really pleased that we've started on the front foot where we're crossing balls into the box and we've got players arriving at the back post to score goals. It's something that we need to do more of."
On pre-season so far, with this game being the third for the Reserves, he said, "yeah, really pleased. I think really what's most pleasing is what we've had go on at the club today. We've had seven or eight boys in and around the first team. We've had everyone else with us on the 3G pitch and I think it's a really good time for young players to be involved at this football club, the opportunities that they're being given.
Yeah, just the way that the whole day has gone, I'm really pleased with."
Reserves 1st half: 1 Jake Bloom, 2 Brandon Ndlovu, 3 Tyler Wright, 4 Max Keen, 5 Ben Smith, 6 Kellen Fiddy, 7 Alex Oakley, 8 Luca Savill, 9 Henry Vieira, 10 Harry Hopkins, 14 Olly Bowman.
2nd half: 1 Oscar Shelton, 2 Seth Garza, 4 Danylo Konik, 5 Hudson Minns, 7 Oscar Wakeling, 9 Josh Tennial, 10 Mehdi Tazerout, 14 Josh Guffey, 15 Jack Nunn, 16 Sam Collinson, 17 Oliver Harper.
REACTION | Jake Bloom Post Match Interview | Needham Market Reserves v Coplestonians |
Academy Goalkeeper Jake Bloom reflects on stepping up to the Reserves.
DK: A good pre-season outing, you must be happy with your performance?
JB: Yeah, good experience. First (game) up for reserves and it was a good start to the game. We got off a little bit good on the front foot and we just tried to ease into the game slowly but when we gained control and had the ball we looked quite dominant and going forward I thought the attacks were very fluid and creative.
DK: You've had quite a strong pre-season personally as well, would you agree?
JB: Yeah, a big jump from playing in the 16s going straight into under-18s and reserves but it's good. It's all about the experience and getting to know some of the older boys and that helps a lot, especially with good teammates that have got so much experience. (The) first half was a bit different to the second half but both halves were still dominant when we had the ball and going forward we looked very good going forward in both halves but it's just the lack of moments and key details.
DK: That's the thing when you play a senior side like Cops that have been going for a while that it's going to be a difficult test.
JB: Yeah, they're a good team. They're very dominant, very physical and they kept us out at the back. Just struggled a little bit to get out at the start of the first half and second half but when we gained the ball then we got dominant with it. I think just trying to carry on through my good habits from 16s into 18s, 23s and reserves. Just trying to keep up with the good stuff and just trying to carry it through.
DK: I'm assuming there's quite a few of the lads out there today who have been your teammates previously?
JB: Yes, quite a few but not all of them. It's good to know a few recent weeks in the academy, pre-season training. It's been good to know some of the others and it's just really good to have a great squad with us for the new season upcoming.
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