THIS AFTERNOON’S MATCH PREVIEW – NEEDHAM MARKET (AWAY) KO 3.00 PM

After Tuesday’s damp squib at Staines Town, Dulwich Hamlet look for a firecracker response away in Suffolk today.

After flirting with the relegation zone until their final day victory over Dulwich Hamlet at Blooomfields, the form of the Marketmen has been nothing short of a revelation. The dark horses of the title scrap Needham Market have surged up the table to challenge their Suffolk rivals Leiston eating into the Blues ample advantage until last Tuesday week they snuck ahead albeit for just 24 hours. Having stolen a point at Canvey Island in a 2-2 draw secured by goalkeeper Danny Gay’s scrambled goal at the death, the Marketmen were knocked off their perch the following by dint of goal difference alone when struggling Grays Athletic upset the formbook to hold rampant, and still unbeaten, Leiston to a 1-1 draw at The Mill Field.

Had it not been for Farnborough’s financial misdemeanours and a well below par performance from a Dulwich Hamlet side with its eyes of the prize of the playoffs, the Marketmen may well have been setting up stall in Ryman North this term. Instead they became the new campaign in solid form with successive 1-1 draws at home to Burgess Hill Town then on the road at another member of the Isthmian League brotherhood, Lowestoft Town. With Jack Curtis and Reece Dobson on the scoresheet a half time deficit was turned on its head as Needham Market returned from Kingstonian with maximum points. Fortune must have been on their side as their looked to be heading for defeat at home to Canvey Island with Geroge Skyes hitting the target twice as the Marketmen tailed 1-2 at halftime. However, Bloomfields was plunged into semi-darkness as half the floodlights. Despite the best efforts of the hosts to get them before the curfew bell rang, it was to no avail, the contest abandoned just shy of an hour later.

Perhaps it was karmic justice as the following Saturday Needham Market found themselves becalmed on their way to Folkestone Invicta after an accident brought the M20 to a standstill. Still they had time to pose with a similarly stranded wedding party. Fortunately, both tales had happy endings, the bride-to-be made it to the Church on time and the Marketmen returned from Cheriton Road with a 1-0 thanks to Reece Dobson’s header. Bank Holiday Monday marked the first of the East Anglian derbies, a true test of potential as they welcomed Leiston. If it had been a boxing match the referee might have called the contest to halt early in proceeding as a dominant Leiston landing three killer blows inside the opening 25 minutes. Joe Francis who Hamlet players and fans still have nightmares about scored twice in the first 17 minutes, Matt Blake added a third well before the break with Gareth Heath providing the cherry on the top of 4-0 victory ten minutes from the final whistle.

The hangover from that defeat lasted right into the weekend as Needham Market bade farewell to the FA Cup at the first time of asking for the second year in succession. this time it was Evo-Stick Southern League Division One Central side Uxbridge that popped unborn dreams winning reasonably comfortably 2-0 at Honeycroft. Still it left space in the calendar at try again with Canvey Island, the two teams providing double the entertainment in a gung-ho encounter at Bloomfields. The Seagulls swooped early goals from Martin Youth and George Sykes establishing a 2-goal lead inside 20 minutes. The Marketmen hit back with goals of their own, Michael Brothers on target before Keiran Morphew levelled. Eight after the break Jack Curtis found the net as the game was turned on its head only for former Dulwich Hamlet winger to equalise for the Islanders; an entertaining game finishing all square at 3-apiece.

It might have been just a point but it proved the catalyst for the current run that has seen Needham Market lose just once in 14 games in all competitions. Michael Brothers bagged a brace to help his side to a 3-0 win away to Harrow Borough before a dingdong cup-tie with Soham Rovers sent the club through in the Alan Turvey Trophy by the odd goal in seven. The goals continued to flow as sorry Grays Athletic succumbed 5-1 in Suffolk, Reece Dobson adding to his tally with a late brace. Away to Leatherhead John Sands rescued a late point before Essex exacted its revenge in the form of Harlow Town. At the Harlow Arena, six goals came before the hour mark as Needham Market were routed 5-1 by the Hawks. Yet any defensive fragility was quickly rectified, three wins and three clean sheets recorded with wins at home to bottom place Met Police (1-0), away to Wingate and Finchley thanks to a sole goal from John Sands and back at Bloomfields, Lowestoft Town frustrated as Sands & Kem Izzet with a penalty provided the killer goals. 66 minutes into their next game, at home to Worthing, that watertight rear-guard was finally breached as Lloyd Dawes cancelled third goal in as many games. But with seven minutes left Billy Holland scored to secure victory as the gap at the top was further whittled into with Leiston otherwise distracted in Herefordshire by an Emirates FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round tie away to supposed-minnows Westfields.

The Worthing game was a poignant one for the club for it marked the last appearance of Michael Brothers in a Needham shirt after 86 appearances and 28 goals. Yet even without such a talismanic player Needham’s resurgence still had plenty of life in it. A comfortable 2-0 win in the Suffolk Premier Cup over Mildenhall Town extended the winning run to five ahead of trip to Burgess Hill Town’s Green Elephants Stadium, aground that had off proved the killing fields for Needham. As Leiston and Havant & Waterlooville were playing out a goalless draw down on the South Coast, Dobson and Sands continued to mine that rich vein of goal scoring, the former’s brace sandwiching the latter’s poached finish as the Hillians were beaten 3-0. Now only the Marketmen’s inferior goal difference kept them from attaining the summit but when Danny Gay joined the attack to prod home at a last gasp corner the ascent was complete. Though at the head of the pack for just 24 hours it proved a historic watermark in the history of club.

This Saturday’s game kicks-off at 3.00 pm and takes place at Bloomfields, Quinton Road, Needham Market, Suffolk, IP6 8DA

Admission Prices:

• £10 Adults
• £6 Concessions
• £3 Children 12-16
• FREE Children Under 12
• £2 Programme