Herne Bay 0 Needham Market 1

A 71st minute strike by substitute Reece Dobson was enough to seal this Buildbase FA Trophy tie and send Needham Market through to the next round, writes Paul Munn.

Although the Marketmen’s visit to the North Kent coast side Herne Bay ended in victory, the match itself was overall a pretty even affair.

Herne Bay, who play their football in the Bostik South East division a step below their visitors, sported three new midweek signings in their match day squad, with Needham giving their recent signing James Baker his first full game.

Needham started well controlling the ball, however were guilty of wasting a couple of good opportunities in the first ten minutes.

Both times after some good build up play the final shots were registered in the ‘off-target’ column.

As Herne Bay came more into the game Danny Leonard went past his defender and raced into the box but his low drive was well saved by the outstretched leg of keeper, Jake Jessup. From the resulting corner kick Jessup again pulled off a good one-handed save, pushing Danny Rumbol’s header over the bar.

During this period one of Herne Bay’s debutant Kyron Lightfoot finished a move with a good volley that just went inches over the bar.

Back came Needham and their pressure nearly paid off as Matt Fry fouled Kamazi on the edge of the box.

The resulting free kick from Callum Sturgess forced the home side’s new keeper, Simon Overland into a full-length diving save, the ball rebounded back into the path of the Needham forward Luke Ingram but Overland was back up on his feet to block the shot and force the ball away for a corner.

After the break it was the Kent side who created the better chances early on. Gaining a free kick following a good break saw Tom Carlton curled his effort passed the post.

Minutes later a Miles Cornwell header was tipped over the bar by Jessup. The resulting corner saw Danny Rumbol’s header hit the inside of the post and agonisingly rolled along the line before a Needham defender got his boot to it and cleared the danger.

Needham made a change with just over 20 minutes remaining, when they sent on Dobson in place of midfielder Jeremiah Kamanzi, to try and bolster there attacking options. The change had an immediate effect when having only been on the field for a couple of minutes he latched on to a ball and from 18 yards out fired his left foot shot into the bottom corner.

Minutes later Needham had a chance to double their lead when Baker won a free kick just outside the area. Dobson stepped up but he sent his effort over the bar.

Herne Bay kept on plugging away searching for ways to get the equaliser, but were unable to muster up any real clear cut chances in the final minutes of the game.

Needham Market: Jake Jessup, Joseph Marsden, Callum Sturgess, Samuel Squire, Keiran Morphew, Daniel Morphew, Jeremiah Kamanzi, Gareth Heath, James Baker (Reece Dobson 69), Luke Ingram, Adam Mills

Subs not used: Tariq Issa, Jake Dye, Ethan Abrahams, Finlay Shorten.