Young Marketmen defeated By Harwich By Drew Kendall

Needham Market's Reserves began their 2018/19 pre-season with a 0-4 defeat to Harwich (goals from Jordan Heath x2, Luke Barnard and Pedro Tarling), who went 0-1 up inside 20 mins thanks to a world class strike from Pedro Tarling, as the Thurlow Nunn North and South sides went head to head.

Harwich were by far the better team in the first half, shown by the amount of possession they retained. They could have gone 0-2 up on 21 minutes, but their No.11's effort clipped the bar and went over, from outside the box from a (left) central position.

Three minutes later, Harwich had another opportunity, as their No.9 backheeled the ball outside the box towards their No.11, only for a Needham defender to slice clear. The ball fell to a Harwich player who could only sidefoot his effort wide of the left post, with the goal gaping.

On 33 minutes, a Harwich ball through on the right, led to a cross into the Needham box, where the first effort was blocked from inside the box by a defender. Only for the ball to rebound off a Harwich player and into the bottom left corner, to make it 0-2.

The young MarketMen responded, however, as their cross from the right byline was headed over at the far post, just five minutes after conceding the second.

That was the end of what was a fairly lively 45 minutes of football, as the visitors led 0-2 at the break.

Half Time: Needham Market Reserves 0-2 Harwich & Parkeston

The second half started with much the same intensity as the first, despite the heat, with Harwich making it 0-3 on 58 minutes. As the ball was squared through the defence, and onto the right hand side of the host's area, where the Harwich player hits his first timed left-footed effort in off the left post.

Two minutes later, it was 0-4 to Harwich, as their No.9 dispossessed a defender on the right wing, before finding the far bottom corner, with the 'keeper rooted at his near post.

With 68 minutes on the clock, Harwich had another chance, as an effort from outside the box, in a left central position, was curled right-footed over the far top corner.

However, Needham could've pulled on back on 74 minutes, as their No.2 got through just inside the box, but could only put his right-footed effort wide of the left post.

A minute later, Needham went close again, as a good crossfield ball picked out their No.17 on the left wing, who tried a first-timed left-footed lifted effort, but the ball went just over the bar. The hosts then had the final chance of the game, as a cross from the right was met by a player, who was desperately lunging at the back post, only for the ball to go agonisingly wide of the left post.

The Full Time whistle soon followed to signal the end of what was a good workout for both sides.

Full Time: Needham Market Res 0-4 Harwich & Parkeston

Massive thanks to Drew Kedall for an excellent report