Battling Needham peg Bognor Regis back twice to secure a fine point at Bloomfields

Needham Market's John Sands, right, on the ball against Dulwich. All Photos: BEN POOLEY (Image: Archant)

Needham Market twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with Ryman Premier Division league-leaders Bognor Regis Town on Saturday.

In front of an impressive crowd of 434 at Bloomfields, goals from Luke Ingram and Kem Izzet saw the Marketmen pick up a valuable point as they continue to target a play-off place come the end of the season.

Needham players celebrate Kem Izzet's goat (Image: Archant)

If the Suffolk side play as well as they did in this game in their remaining 10 league fixtures, they will have no problem finishing in the top five.

Following back-to-back away defeats to Billericay Town (6-0) and Dulwich Hamlet (2-0), the Marketmen could have been fearing the worst when they went behind to Gary Charman’s 22nd-minute header. But, Mark Morsley’s men are not short of belief and determination, and after 34 minutes, they pulled themselves level when the full-of-running Luke Ingram brilliantly met and headed Jack Simmons’ accurate cross beyond Dan Lincoln.

Bognor took just three minutes to retake the lead, after referee Joshua Few failed to spot an infringement on Needham defender Keiran Morphew, an almighty goalmouth scramble saw Sami El-Abd take the congratulations.

Again, Needham rolled their sleeves up, and, again, they equalised. Captain Kem Izzet, who enjoyed a fine game alongside new signing Cameron Norman in the centre of midfield, scored a peach of a strike from just outside the box to make it 2-2 heading into the interval.

And the goalmouth action didn’t stop there. A fully-fit and firing on all cylinders John Sands could have scored a hat-trick on another day, and he was left frustrated by the bobbly Needham pitch as he looked to pull the trigger on a few occasions. Danny Gay made a splendid save to deny Ollie Pearce from putting Bognor back in front, after he escaped the clutches of Sam Nunn, while El-Abd blocked well from Sands.

Simmons had a chance to put Needham in front for the first time, but he blazed off target.