Needham Market 3 Leiston 0
Three second-half goals wrapped up a first victory of the season for Needham Market, in a sun-kissed Suffolk derby against lowly Leiston at Bloomfields this afternoon.
Luke Ingram struck with a brace of goals, in the 48th and 81st minutes, sandwiching a close-range header by Craig Parker (53 minutes) to ensure a first win in five league matches for Richard Wilkins' men.
Leiston, by contrast, remain rock bottom of the Southern League Premier Central, with just one point collected from five fixtures.
It was a first half of very few clear-cut chances, between two very evenly matched teams, until Needham stepped up a gear to take control in the second half.
Joe Marsden cracked a 30-yarder wide for the Marketmen early on, while team-mate Parker fired a long-range missile straight at keeper Marcus Garnham on 20 minutes.
Leiston briefly threatened, just before the drinks break at the half-way point in the first half, attacker Rory Mckeown stretching out a foot to very nearly divert home a cross inside the six-yard box. He arrived just a split second too late to get the vital touch.
The Marketmen went closer in the 34th minute, thanks to an acrobatic shot-on-the-turn from Russell Short, standing 20 yards from goal, which back-pedalling keeper Charlie Beckwith did well to claw over his bar.
Four minutes later and the hosts actually hit the bar, Joe Neal's rising shot being tipped onto the woodwork by keeper Beckwith, although the flag had already been raised for offside.
But Needham did take the lead, just three minutes into the second period, via Ingram's neat finish.
Callum Sturgess delivered a cross from the left flank and Ingram squeezed home his close-range shot inside the near post.
The hosts doubled their lead, just five minutes later on 53 minutes, Parker powering in to nod home a cross by Marsden from point blank range.
Needham had a chance to score a third in the 75th minute. Neal broke quickly and cut inside before teeing up Ingram, who screwed his shot wide from the edge of the box.
Home keeper Garnham was called into a rare save, a minute later, when diving to his left to push away a fierce drive by Kyle Hammond.
The Marketmen did net their third goal, on 81 minutes. Ingram was in the right place to head home a teasing cross by Sturgess.
Squads
NEEDHAM MARKET: Garnham, Dye, Sturgess, Short, K Morphew, D Morphew, L Ingram (sub Collard, 88), Squire, Neal, Parker (sub McLaughlin, 90+1), Marsden (sub N Ingram, 82). Unused subs: Baker, Shorten
LEISTON: Beckwith, Hammond, Woerndl (sub Llado, 67), Kamanzi (sub Parrondo, 82), Knights, Clements, Lawrence, Eagle, Sharman (sub, Hitter, 63), Henry, Mckeown. Unused subs: Keys, Jessup
Attendance: 474
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