REACTION | Needham Market Reserves v Gorleston Res | Needham Market U23 v Long Melford U23s | 20.09.2025 |

Captain Olly Reynolds reflects on the Reserves 3-0 away win at Gorleston Reserves. 

DK: How would you describe today's performance?

OR: Todays performance all round was very good, we come out the blocks really fast scoring 3 in the first 25 minutes of the game looking really strong, we then kept the ball for the last 20 minutes of the half. The second half they came out fast and we defended everything they threw at us and from the 70th minute onwards we had full control, great performance and great game management from the boys.

 

DK: To get a brace and continue your fine goalscoring form must be the icing on the cake?

OR: Yeah it was all within 10 minutes, scoring a volley in the box to scoring a good header and having one cleared off the line for my Hatrick. I’m glad that we are a threat from corners and I hope to keep the goal scoring record up.

DK: After a big win on Thursday, how delighted are you that you're converting chances more as a team? 

OR: Thursday was an unreal win for the boys everyone involved played to their best ability putting in 110% and hoping to go far in that cup, and today i couldn’t say much different to be honest every single person involved in the game gave everything they had and it’s good to see the lads further forward finally getting the success that they all deserve.

DK: How much importance do you think the fact you've all been playing as a team for a fair while now, in terms of turning performances into results? 

OR: As a team I thought we got unlucky in the first part of this season, we played very well and maybe not getting the results we deserve, but after a couple good results we finally see as a team the damage we can cause to other teams and I’m sure if we all believe this season can be the best season we have had as a squad both u18 and Reserves.

DK: Another tough trip up next, what's the collective mindset going into the game?

OR: As I’m sure I’ve said before, if we all put in 110% and work until the final whistle and put into practice the stuff we learn in training we can get a result anywhere no matter what the league says and I truly believe the lads can do this day in day out.

DK: We spoke a month ago about how you demand the utmost as captain, is that something that you take pride in, given recent results?

OR: Obviously being the captain is a great feeling knowing that lads and the mangers trust me enough to have such an important role on and off the pitch, I can take a lot of pride knowing that the lads give their all during every single game and that’s the reason we as a team we are seeing better results are heart and belief is what get us through most games and I’m hoping for many more good results in the future.

Harlyn Palmer reflects on yesterday's win for the Reserves.

DK: A perfect few days for you, how delighted are you? 

HP: Yeah buzzing with both of the results this week obviously with the win in the youth cup on Wednesday got the boys right up for it today and the showed with a fast start. 

DK: Two very good performances, would you say momentum is beginning to build? 

HP: Yeah 100% I’d say every single game we are getting better, hopefully there is more good results to come and hopefully we can get far in the fa youth cup aswell but I’d say to confidence in the team right now is high. 

DK: What's the most pleasing part of the team's recent good form? 

HP: I think it’s just the fact we are scoring a lot of goals now because last season that was something that we struggled with in the reserves but with results like 3-0 today and the big win over Stanway is just really pleasing and like you said is building momentum.  

DK: How would you summarise the season overall so far? 

HP: I think the season so far has been a massive improvement on last year and I feel like we can push to get the highest points the reserves have ever got.

Oscar Wakeling reflects on the Under-23's win on Saturday. 

DK: How would you summarise your last week of football? 

OW: I think my last week of football has been a positive week , if not one of my strongest yet, I feel as if I am on great form at the moment, I started off pre season very strong scoring quite a few goals in a short space of time and i have managed to keep the goals coming as the season has started.

DK: You've been chipping in with a few goals of late, you must be proud? 

OW: I am really pleased with the goals I’m getting at the minute especially in some important games such as the FA Youth Cup I’ve managed to score in both games and now we are in the third round qualifier which is all credit to the team as well, competition in the squad is the toughest it’s ever been so when I come off the bench and get a goal it’s always a nice feeling. 

DK: What did you make of yesterday's win? 

OW: Yesterdays win for the under 23’s was a good win the cup to push us into the next round the lads all put in the work yesterday helping each other out battling all over the pitch and winning individual battles. The second half was where we really shone and nicked more goals to put us further in front, to grab a goal in that game was also a good feeling as it put us 2-1 up so it got us the lead.  

DK: What's your thoughts on your own, and the academy's, season so far? 

 

OW: I think the season so far has been a really strong start all over picking up good results, even in training everyone is giving 110% and it’s a great environment to be around with everyone demanding standards from one another.

DK: What's pleased you most about the last week?

OW: I think the last week what has pleased me most is coming off the bench in the FA Youth Cup and scoring a goal and having quite a good game and the team getting into the next round, hopefully we can remain in form and keep pushing for results 👍. 

Needham Market U18 v Woodbridge Town U18 | 11.09.2025 |

Needham Market Under-18s maintained their unbeaten start to the Thurlow Nunn Youth League Central Division season with a 1-1 draw against Woodbridge Town.

The young Marketmen made it 7 points from 3 league games, sitting top of the early season table.

Needham broke the deadlock inside 25 minutes, Jack Nunn exploited space from 35-yards to wrap home into the bottom right-hand corner.

Woodbridge then saw a close range shot deflected off the line for a corner in the 2nd minute, while Woodbridge saw a shot from the left-hand side deflected just over on 9 minutes.

Needham however cleared the resulting dangerous corner just ahead of the goal line over for another set piece, while Oscar Wakeling raced onto the right-hand byline on 18 minutes it's but saw his cutback cleared.

Zak Tamila shot narrowly wide from the edge of the box, before Henry Vieira was slotted through the defence onto the left-hand side whose clever low strike cannoned back into play agonisingly off the front base of the far post in the 19th minute. 

Needham were denied by the woodwork once more on 26 minutes, Fenton Grimmer latched onto the loose ball from 35-yards before smashing a great low strike at goal which rebounded out off the inside of the left-hand, far, post.

Wakeling meanwhile beat two defenders smartly as he drove down the right wing, albeit his 28th minute cross was straight at the keeper. 

Needham saw a 36th minute shot from close range on the right-hand side denied by the foot of the keeper at his near post, before Woodbridge saw a 44th minute cutback shot just wide of the bottom far corner. 

Needham shot straight from the restart, although the keeper comfortably held onto the ball, with the resulting corner headed wide at point blank range at the far post. 

Woodbridge on the other hand equalised on 53 minutes, after a 25-yard free-kick was deflected into the right-hand corner. 

Woodbridge headed a great long range free-kick straight at Bloom on 62 minutes, while Vieira saw a close range shot go just wide seconds later. 

Olly Bowman saw a close range header just go off target on 69 minutes, while Bloom watched a low shot down to his left-hand side to beat it away moments later. 

Harry Hopkins had a 78th minute right wing, on target, corner held by the keeper on his line, before Woodbridge shot a 90th minute dangerous left wing cross across goal wide at the far post. 

Wright though went close at the death, as the defender's header at point blank from the corner saved on 92 minutes, as both sides took a point.

Needham host Lowestoft Town in the FA Youth Cup on Wednesday (7:45pm).

Needham:- 1 Jake Bloom, 2 Seth Garza, 3 Tyler Wright, 4 Dan Thompson, 5 Fenton Grimmer, 6 Jack Nunn, 7 Oscar Wakeling, 8 Harry Hopkins (c), 9 Henry Vieira, 10 Josh Tennial, 14 Zak Tamila. Subs: 15 Danylo Konik, 16 Josh Guffey, 17 Miles Baldwin, 18 Oliver Harper, 19 Olly Bowman. 

Goal: Jack Nunn (1')

REACTION | James Coton, Kellen Fiddy | Needham Market Reserves v Stanway Pegasus | 06.09.2025 |

Double goalscorer James Coton reflects on a brilliant 5-2 win for the Reserves.

DK: Congratulations on the win, what did you make of it? 

JC: I thought that it was a good game and a really good team performance.We defended really well and caused them lots of problems going forward through fast attacks and good quality crosses into the box. 

DK: What's the overall emotion from you after today's win? 

JC: I am really happy with today’s win and two goals. 

DK: Can you talk us through your goals? 

JC: For the first goal I played the ball out to Alex he then beat his man and played it back to me just inside the box I finished it first time into the bottom right corner. For the second goal I was 1 on 1 with the defender I shifted and put the ball bottom right.  

DK: How important do you think today's win is? 

JC: I think today’s win is important for us as a team as it shows that we can beat anyone in this league. It also gives us confidence going into Tuesday night that we can go to Framingham and beat them. 

DK: Framlingham up next, what are you expecting in general?

JC: I am expecting a hard game away at Framingham but I back us to go there and get a result.

Goalscorer Kellen Fiddy reflects on yesterday's win. 

DK: Brilliant result today, how pleased are you? 

KF:Yes massive result today, I thought the lads showed a great representation of what we are striving towards each day in training and starting to get some reward for the work we’re putting in is a really nice feeling.

DK: How would you describe the performance? 

KF: Yeah the performance today was really positive we said in the changing rooms after the game, that the main struggle for us so far this season has been the consistency throughout the game we’ve had good spells of 45-60 minutes but today felt more of a complete performance that we can look back on and use as examples for future games. 

DK: You must be delighted to have recorded such a big result, in clinical fashion? 

KF: We knew coming into the game that it was always going to be a tough one as we were up against a good Stanway side who more than challenge in any game they play but at the same time we also know the quality we have, and with a bit more ruthlessness in front of goal we can put big results on the board like we have shown today.

DK: Talk us through your goal and how much does it mean? 

KF: Buzzing to get on the scoresheet again, we have been doing a lot of work on overlaps/underlaps in training recently so when i’ve seen Flynn on the ball take his touch inside more i knew the space would be on for the overlap and i know he’s good enough to pick me out and as he’s slid me inside the box i took a touch to compose myself and slotted it in the far corner to put us ahead for the first time in the game so yeah great feeling.

DK: As a group, what is the overall reflection to the result? 

KF: The lads realise it was a good performance today and know that we have to use results like this as momentum pushing forwards, take the individual positives as well as team positives and continue to work hard to strive towards our aims for the season.

DK: How would you summarise the season so far? 

KF: The season has been filled with ups and downs already which is expected and us boys know that there’s no easy games in this league and if we’re not 100% on it every week we will get punished for it but i definitely can feel us growing into the season and really starting to kick on. 

DK: A important trip to Framlingham on Tuesday, what are your thoughts going into that?

KF: Yeah Framlingham are one of the top teams in the league and is a tough team to come up against especially when they’re having a good run as they are at the moment, but we will leave everything out there to get a result and use todays game as a real statement to the other teams in the league and build confidence off of it, we showed today at our best we can compete with anyone.