Needham Market coast to comfortable win at St Neots

Needham Market keeper Jake Jessop protects his goal during Tuesday night's 3-0 win at St Neots Town. Picture: CARL MARSTON (Image: Archant)

Needham Market coasted to their second league win in the space of just four days, thanks to a dominant display at lowly St Neots Town tonight.

Adam Baker, Tariq Issa and Daniel Morphew were the goalscorers as Richard Wilkins’ men followed up Saturday’s 2-1 home success over Stratford Town with an emphatic result at Rowley Park, in what was the first league meeting between the two clubs.

The Marketmen were in control for most of the first half, and should really have been more than just one goal ahead at the break.

In fact, they could have taken the lead inside the first couple of minutes, when captain Gareth Heath volleyed wide from point blank range, following a fine cross by Adam Mills.

James Baker (red shirt) in the St Neots penalty area. He netted an early goal for Needham Market. Picture: CARL MARSTON (Image: Archant)

But they did break the deadlock on 11 minutes with a well-worked goal. Mills fed Callum Sturgess and the left-back whipped over a low cross for Baker to gleefully volley home at the near post, from close in. It was a lethal finish.

Baker continued to lead the front-line to good effect, and he trapped a through ball to set up a chance for himself in the 23rd minute, although his final shot was straight at keeper Harry Reynolds. A minute later and livewire Mills connected with a powerful drive which the busy Reynolds did well to parry.

St Neots, hovering just above the relegation zone with three league wins all season, rarely threatened, although a rising shot by Dylan Williams did strike a post before rebounding across the six-yard box for keeper Jake Jessup to gratefully gather.

Otherwise, the Suffolk visitors remained in the ascendancy. Livewire Mills headed a foot wide from Jake Dye’s excellent cross in the 34th minute, and then saw his goalbound drive superbly kept out by Reynolds just a minute later.

A mix-up between a defender and Reynolds did gift Needham the crucial second goal, in the 58th minute, with Issa presented with the simple task of sliding into an unguarded net.

And Needham added a third just 10 minutes later, thanks to a towering header by Daniel Morphew from Issa’s corner.

NEEDHAM: Jessop, Dye, Sturgess, Squire (sub Dobson, 78), K Morphew, D Morphew, Ingram, Heath, Baker (sub Griffiths, 86), Issa (sub Kamanzi, 78), Mills. Unused subs: Marsden, Shorten.

Attendance: 139