Lowestoft Town 0 Needham Market 2

East Anglian Daily Times: Joe Marsden's curling shot flies past keeper Luis Tibbles to give Needham Market the lead, at Lowestoft. Picture: BEN POOLEYJoe Marsden's curling shot flies past keeper Luis Tibbles to give Needham Market the lead, at Lowestoft. Picture: BEN POOLEY (Image: Archant)

Needham Market went some way towards banishing the memory of their FA Cup defeat at Crown Meadow with a deserved victory in this league encounter.

A first-half curling shot from Joe Marsden and a second-half strike by Luke Ingram sealed the points against a spirited Lowestoft side.

Honours were shared in the early exchanges. Louis McIntosh's shot tested Needham keeper Marcus Garnham, who made a good save. Likewise, home keeper Luis Tibbles had to gather a Craig Parker strike after Marsden's initial shot was blocked.

With the first half entering its final five minutes Needham, in the shape of Samuel Squire, broke and the ball was played out to Marsden on the left.

East Anglian Daily Times: Happy times as Needham Market players celebrate scoring a second goal, in a 2-0 win at Crown Meadow. Picture: BEN POOLEYHappy times as Needham Market players celebrate scoring a second goal, in a 2-0 win at Crown Meadow. Picture: BEN POOLEY (Image: Archant)

Marsden took it forward and cut inside allowing him space for the shot, which he gladly took on to fire a curling effort into the far top corner from 20 yards out.

Marsden nearly provided a repeat performance just before the break when he struck another long-range effort goalwards. This time Tibbles managed to get fingertips on the ball as it crashed off the top of the bar for a corner.

The second half saw Needham start brightly, Joe Neal setting up Parker, whose shot was blocked. Neal also made keeper Tibbles work with the rebound.

The hosts could have drawn level in the 57th minute. Jake Reed picked up a loose ball 30 yards out and went through on goal, only to be denied by an excellent Dan Morphew block.

East Anglian Daily Times: Joe Neal cracks in a shot during Needham Market's 2-0 win at Lowestoft Town. Picture: BEN POOLEYJoe Neal cracks in a shot during Needham Market's 2-0 win at Lowestoft Town. Picture: BEN POOLEY (Image: Archant)

Two minutes later it was Needham on the attack with Neal surging down the right wing and getting to the byline. He calmly pulled it back into the path of Ingram, who slotted home inside the far corner to double the Marketmen's' lead.

Midway through the second half, Needham were reduced to 10 men after Russell Short was shown a straight red for catching McIntosh as they tussled for the ball in midfield.

Lowestoft made changes and kept plugging away, looking to reduce the deficit. However, their two best chances came in the final couple of minutes.

Firstly, Malachi Linton came close when he latched onto a rebound, but his fierce effort cannoned off the post.

Then in injury-time, a half-cleared Connor Deeks free kick fell to Joshua Curry. His effort beat Garnham, only for the ballto be cleared off the line.

Needham Market: Garnham, Dye, Sturgess, Short, Morphew (K), Morphew (D), Ingram (84' Page), Squire, Neal (Godward 89), Parker, Marsden (Collard(N) 90+3)

Lowestoft Town: Tibbles, Curry, Richardson (Wilkinson 76), Deeks, Cole, Tann, Williams (Lopez 72), Fisk, Reed, Linton, McIntosh (Zielonka 72)