Needham Market Reserves 3 game unbeaten run ended with a 3-2 defeat away at 9th placed Whittlesey Athletic.
A very spirited performance from Colin Grogan's side ultimately ended in vain, despite fantastic finishes from Harry Hopkins (34') and Evan Gledhill (78') overturned Archie Waterland's early header for a 2-1 lead, having dominated proceedings from the end of the first half until after the hosts' equaliser (79').
Oscar Wakeling was adjudged to have fouled captain Ollie Gale (77'), which led to a sin bin for Flynn Bobby, which Jack Carter converted for the aforementioned equaliser.
It was late heartbreak for the young Marketmen in the sixth minute of stoppage time when Kieran Hibbins turned home after the visitors couldn't clear due to the howling wind, proving to be the match-winner.
Charlie Skinner was sin binned a few minutes later, with Brad Smith expertly seeing out the final minutes in goal.
Whittlesey (4') broke the deadlock, a set-piece fell to Archie Waterland in the centre to turn home off the inside of the bottom left-hand post.Charlie Skinner (10') held onto a low shot at his left-hand, near, post - as James Coton (15') weaved through onto the right-hand edge of the area, albeit saw his low shot blocked.
Ollie Gale (18') was offside as he turned and shot low into the bottom right-hand corner from close range,
The hosts (27') headed over from a right wing corner, while James Coton (28') was fed into space on the left-hand edge of the box, but wrapped a very good strike narrowly wide of the bottom far corner.
Harry Hopkins (34') rifled home a spectacular equaliser, Flynn Bobby drove into space in midfield before threading the midfielder free from 30-yards out to smash a slightly deflected strike that deceived the keeper to nestle into the top left-hand corner.
Evan Gledhill (45') latched onto Coton pressing the keeper, intercepting possession free just inside the box - though firing just agonisingly wide of the gaping bottom left-hand corner.
After the break, Needham (50') saw a shot held by the keeper, while Flynn Bobby was released racing down the right wing on 55 minutes - wrapping an excellent ball across the danger area, just evading James Coton arriving from eight yards out.
Needham remained a threat, Oscar Wakeling (57') danced through expertly down the left wing, onto the byline close to goal to cut a great ball back in the six yard box finding Gledhill who shot just wide.
Whittlesey (60') shot just wide of the bottom far, left-hand, corner after being fed into space outside the area - before Wakeling (61') drove into space smartly to fire low towards the bottom right-hand corner, forcing goalkeeper Danny Foulger to stretch across and palm the well hit shot behind.
A very bright second half from Colin Grogan's side continued, although Charlie Skinner (67') smartly watched Isaac Jobling's left wing free-kick to the far post to tip it away, before collecting the following dart down the left wing.
Needham however deservedly took the lead in the 68th minute, an excellent low strike from Evan Gledhill outside the area was wrapped home excellently into the top right-hand corner.
Whittlesey were awarded a penalty on 77 minutes for a foul on the captain by Oscar Wakeling resulting in a sin bin for Flynn Bobby.
Jack Carter (79') dispatched the penalty just past Skinner into the bottom left-hand corner, before Kieran Hibbins (90') was teed up through onto the left-hand side but scuffed wide from close range.
Whittlesey scored a rather harsh winner in the 96th minute, the swirling wind enabled the ball to sit up for Kieran Hibbins to turn home into the bottom left hand corner to snatch a 3-2 victory.
Skinner (99') was sin binned, while Matt Carter (101') was cautioned for kicking the ball out of the ground.
Needham Reserves return to the Ruby Homes Bloomfields 3G Arena on Monday, when AFC Sudbury Reserves visit (3pm).
Needham Res:- 1 Charlie Skinner, 2 Ben Smith, 3 Brad Smith, 4 Kellen Fiddy (C), 5 Xavi Drake, 6 Ryan Pitt, 7 Flynn Bobby (90'+1' Tennial), 8 Harry Hopkins, 9 Evan Gledhill, 10 James Coton, 11 Oscar Wakeling (85' Tamila). Subs: 14 Josh Tennial, 15 Zak Tamila.
Whittlesey:- 1 Danny Foulger, 2 Alfie Fryett, 3 Jack Bates, 4 Matt Carter, 5 Lee Briggs, 6 Archie Waterland, 7 Kyle Hibbins, 8 Ollie Gale (C), 9 Kieran Hibbins, 10 Jack Carter, 11 Isaac Jobling. Sibs: 12 Lewis Lilley, 14 Josh Whaley, 15 Robert Goulding, 16 Dan Redhead.
Booked: Grogan (90'+1'), Matt Carter (90'+11').
Binned Flynn Bobby (77'), Charlie Skinner (90'+9').
Goals: Archie Waterland (4'), Jack Carter (79'pen), Kieran Hibbins (90'+6'); Harry Hopkins (34'), Evan Gledhill (68').
Goalscorer Harry Hopkins reflects on today's defeat at Whittlesey.
DK: A good performance in tough conditions, what are your thoughts on it performance wise?
HH: As a team I think we battled hard, was tough going down by a goal so early on, but the lads fought hard to turn it around, overall i think we gave a good performance.
DK: A rather gutting late defeat however, after a decent run of form??
HH: Absolutely gutted to lose it late on and how the game played out, but definitely proud of the lads for the turn around in recent weeks. we now need to take it into Monday against Sudbury.
DK: A superb goal, you must be delighted?
HH: Always nice to score a goal and contribute, starting to feel more confident after scoring back to back in the week for u18s and now reserves.
DK: Talk us through what was going through your mind as you scored?
HH: As soon as I saw Flynn set me the ball, I knew I was going to score and just laced it.
DK: How do you reflect on the season so far, personally - both U18s and Reserves?
HH: For the U18s this season it was difficult not getting so many minutes in the fa youth cup, however Bettsy has trusted me in the league and county cup and the lads are flying with a final coming up and hopefully winning the league soon. The Reserves season has been up and down for the group. Personally I think the beginning of the season we started well and we were always competitive in games, however it has been fine margins to losing games.
DK: Two goals in two days for you this week, and both very different ones?
HH: Yes absolutely buzzing and nice to score different goals and show I can do a bit of everything.
DK: Focusing on the U18s, a very good win on Thursday, which marks a very good season?!
HH: A fantastic season so far, the lads have been excellent, especially the first years and U16s stepping up in big league games to keep us going unbeaten.
DK: With another county cup final looming, how do you feel the season has gone as a team?
HH: Excellent to get to another county cup final with this team and personally to do it 3 years in a row for me is a great achievement. I think we have stuck together as a team with everyone playing their part.
DK A local rivalry with Sudbury on Monday for the Reserves, how do you see that and the season so far for the team?
HH: Always up for a local derby and to play my old team gives me more to play for. It will always be a tough game but with the talent that we have, we will definitely compete and I think we can take all 3pts.
Goalscorer Evan Gledhill also discussed today's defeat at Whittlesey.
DK: A tough one to take today, but you must be proud of the overall performance?
EG: Yeah very tough one to take considering we had the lead and to concede 2 late goal is very tough to take but the boys showed a good reaction to going down 1-0 very early on in the game to get a 2-1 lead shame we couldn’t hold on.
DK: How difficult was it combating the wind?
EG: Yeah today the conditions wasn’t great and it took us 10-15 mins to get used to it but once we got used to it and found the way to play I thought we looked like the better team for the majority of the game.
DK: A very well taken goal for you today, which must be somewhat pleasing?
EG: Yeah from my own performance it was very nice to score a very well taken goal considering I missed a big chance in the first half and a big moment for myself personally this season taking me up to 15 Reserves' goals.
DK: What was going through your mind as you scored?
EG: Well I didn’t actually expect the ball and then as Harry has missed the ball I just thought I’m going to turn and have a short and thankfully it went in the top corner and put us 2-1.
DK: What was the overall mood in the changing room after the game?
EG: Overall mood in the changing room after the game was just a lot of frustration as in the game we felt very hard done by a couple of decisions but we just need to bounce back for Sudbury on Monday.
DK: A fast turnaround until you host AFC Sudbury Reserves, how do you see that?
EG: Yeah Sudbury on Monday is a massive game in our season and we know that we need a result against them on our home turf and hopefully we can put our anger and frustration into that game from today.
DK: What type of reaction do you expect as a team in that game, after today?
EG: Yeah as I have just said the boys are gunna be very up for the game knowing how important this could be for our season and hopefully we can get a very much needed result.
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