Needham Market's pre-season campaign concluded with a 1-0 win at Isthmian North Division side Lowestoft Town.
A stunning second half strike from Luke Ingram enough to seal a good win on the road for the Marketmen.
Lowestoft had the first chance in the 3rd minute, directing a free header from a free-kick swung to the far post over the top right-hand corner at close range.
Four minutes later, a low shot from inside the box was crucially blocked away by the diving James Bradbrook while the rebound shot was sliced wide of the top corner.
At the other end, Tommy Smith's left wing cross was deflected as Reggie Lambe picked out Luke Ingram on the right wing whose dangerous 12th minute cross was held by the keeper.
Luke Ingram fired a 17th shot just wide from distance, as Needham grew into the game well.
Two minutes later, Tommy Smith released Ryan Miles through down the left with a great ball over the top who teed up Ingram on the edge of the box whose shot was tipped over.
The Marketmen created a great chance on 23 minutes, great link up play between Miles and Ollie Saunders saw Myles Cowling threaded through onto the left-hand side but shot just passed the top far corner.
Ingram then met a low right wing corner at the near post shortly after, but his shot at a tight angle went wide.
Smith then found Saunders on the half-hour mark, who in turn found Ryan Miles on the left wing who fed Smith through on the left-hand side although his low dangerous cross was deflected as the keeper gathered ahead of a Red shirt.
Needham went agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock on 34 minutes, Ryan Miles slipped Reggie Lambe through down the right-hand side but with the keeper advancing fired his shot over from close range.
Needham then a 39th minute shot from the right well held, while Ollie Saunders fired over from distance a minute later.
Myles Cowling meanwhile fired a shot over on 42 minutes, as both sides went into the break level.
Needham started the restart on the front foot, Matty Tricker retained possession high in the hosts' half on 38 minutes, before Ingram wrapped a low shot smartly into the bottom corner only for the whistle to go for a Needham free-kick - which Lambe wrapped wide.
Olly Reynolds then headed a Lambe 50th minute left wing corner narrowly wide of the far post, while Needham went close nine minutes later.
Ryan Miles latched onto possession down the right wing before Ollie Saunders slipped Myles Cowling through down the left-hand side who teed up Joe Neal only to see his shot blocked, before Reggie Lambe wrapped the rebound just wide of the top far corner.
Myles Cowling however fired over on 62 minutes, after being teed up by Joe Neal.
Reggie Lambe's 64th minute free-kick fell to Ollie Saunders free on the edge of the box, whose smart control and low volley went just wide of the bottom right-hand corner.
Needham though broke the deadlock on 68 minutes, Tommy Smith fed Luke Ingram in acres of space from around the halfway line before spotting the keeper off his line and exquisitely lobbing him.
Seth Chambers raced through down the right wing smartly on 72 minutes, sliding a great dangerous squared ball across to Ryan Miles who shot straight at the keeper at point blank range.
Ryan Miles broke onto the left wing byline on 74 minutes, though his dangerous cross was well caught by the keeper, before Lowestoft saw a dangerous free-kick well blocked by the way on 85 minutes.
Ingram broke into space three minutes later but saw his ferocious strike cannon back in off the top of the crossbar, with Chambers on the follow up seeing a close range effort held.
Seth Chambers saw a 92nd close range shot goal-bound crucially blocked as Needham wrapped up pre-season with a 1-0 victory.
Needham begin their league campaign away at Harborough Town next Saturday (3pm).
Needham:- 1 James Bradbrook, 2 Jake Dye (68' Hammond), 6 Dan Morphew (C) (HT' Reynolds), 16 Matty Tricker, 3 Tommy Smith, 19 Reggie Lambe (80' Savill), 8 Ollie Saunders, 15 Myles Cowling (68' Barker), 7 Luke Ingram, 11 Ryan Miles (80' Coton), 10 Joe Neal (68' Chambers). SUBS: 14 Eddie Barker, 9 Seth Chambers, 4 Kyle Hammond, 5 Olly Reynolds, 17 James Coton, 12 Luca Savill.
Goal: Luke Ingram (68')
REACTION | Nathan Munson Post Match Interview | Lowestoft Town v Needham Market | 02.08.2025 |
Nathan Munson reflects on our final friendly at Lowestoft.
DK: A nice 1-0 win to finish pre-season, you must be pleased?
NM: Yeah, pleased with the clean sheet especially, we haven't had a whole load of those in the course of pre-season so far. So that was nice and I think after Tuesday it was important just to get back and do the basics well. And I think during the course of the match we actually did that.
DK: Lukey's goal was quite spectacular.
NM: Yeah, I mean it's nice to have a player of Luke's calibre back in the building. He actually got back from holiday on Tuesday and then came straight out and played. So he got the minutes in then, but then I think you saw today it was a little bit fresher. It was a threatening, he hit the crossbar and nearly had another one, and the goal was absolutely sublime. He was able to spot the keeper off his line and he's hit it really well.
DK: Would you agree it was also an all round pleasing performance?
NM: Yeah, I think so. It's always nice to get through the games without any knocks because I think every game we've had so far, we've had someone come out with another injury and Tuesday night the pitch was quite different to what it was today in terms of injuries and who we might have available. So it was nice to get the squad out there to play the minutes that they did today without picking up any knocks. So that's a real positive as we move through and finish the friendlies and we've got the last couple of pre-season sessions before Harborough away next week.
DK: Other than the result Tuesday overall, it's been a good pre-season for us?
NM: Yeah, I think so. It was nice to have the opportunity for the players to gel with the Brighton trip, that was good. The performances have been competitive. Pre-season is pre-season. Players want to get out of it what they need really. I don't necessarily mean that it's a good pre-season or a bad pre-season, depending just on the result next Saturday because then you follow up with a Tuesday game and then the game's come thick and fast. So it's difficult. If we were to lose Saturday but then win the next five, is that a better pre-season than winning next week and then losing? It's not all about games or so much on the first game. It's about the first portion of the game. I think we've done all right, we've got minutes. Obviously Keiran's missing today, so he should be OK by next Saturday. So we're looking much stronger injury-wise than we did Tuesday and last week.
DK: Speaking of next Saturday, we're up against one of the sides that's tipped to be up there?
NM: Yes, certainly are. If you look at the odds, they're very hot favourites. So I think they've put a fair bit of investment into it. Obviously keen to go through the leagues. They'll be a really difficult game, but we're all right. We've had a good experience last year at step 2. We got into the requirements of that level, so we're used to playing good quality sides. I think we've added to the group during the course of the summer, so we'll go there and we'll be competitive, but I think Harborough are favourites for the title. They'll probably badge themselves favourites for Saturday.
I think the important thing is that we play to our levels. If we play how we know we can and our players perform to the level we know we can, we'll get a really good result there. We know that, so I think that's the important thing really. It's worrying about what we do, how we perform, how fit are we, and are we doing the important aspects of the game and working hard, attacking and in defensive areas. If we do that, we'll be absolutely fine.
REACTION | Luke Ingram Post Match Interview | Lowestoft Town v Needham Market | 02.08.2025 |
Goalscorer Luke Ingram reacts to our friendly at Lowestoft.
DK: A good end to pre-season?
LI: Yeah, always good to end with a win. (There's) Definitely stuff we could do better, but that's that done. I hate pre-season, so glad it's over.
DK: A brilliant goal to wrap it up?
LI: Yeah, I mean, saw him off his line and had a go. Nine times out of ten it don't come off, but the one that does, it's always handy to get that goal. If the keeper gives you ten yards then you've got to try and take it, but like I say, everyone forgets it if it doesn't go in, so just happy it went in.
DK: Are you feeling ready for the league season?
LI: Yeah, ready to go, mate. I'm probably the person who hates pre-season the most, so I'm glad to get that done and then the real stuff starts. Yeah, excited. We've got a tough start, so hopefully get some points and see how it goes.
DK: A few new teams to familiarise ourselves with as well?
LI: Yeah, it'll be nice to go to some new places, go back to a few dumps that we've been to before. We'll just enjoy it, mate. It's always better if you're winning games, so hopefully we win some games.
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