Needham Market Reserves 2 Reserves 3

The Reserves are up to twelfth after victory at Suffolk rivals Needham Market Reserves. The young Reserves came out on top of a five goal thriller thanks to a brace from Jourdan Kiwomya and a goal from Harrison Bacon. Both teams tried to play football in wet and windy conditions. Leiston went into this match having lost their last two matches. Noel Aitkens (suspended for the first team) came into the side while Joshua Moore also started.

Leiston started brightly and started some good attacks in central and wide areas but with no end product while at the other end 16 year old Finley Noon was vocal and making some excellent decisions. Needham stuck to their philosophy and started to compete and move well. On the half hour, Leiston took the lead as a good run down the right was finished well by Harrison Bacon. Just after the restart, Noon made a super save down to his left to keep Leiston in the lead. However, the Marketmen did equalise just before the break as a good run by the Needham midfielder was netted well.

At half time, Leiston changed formation, going from 4-3-3 to 3-5-2 and took Toby Groom off who was replaced by Jac Garrard. Some sloppy Leiston play let in Needham and they took advantage to take the lead just five minutes into the second half. Noel Aitkens then began to dominate in midfield, and he nearly scored from Jac Garrard’s corner but headed against the bar and Garrard himself hit the bar with a headed attempt shortly later. Jourdan Kiwomya came on for Owen Hammond and the sub rewarded his manager as Jac Garrard played him in and he levelled from ten yards, with his shot going in via a deflection. Finley Noon made some good saves as the match progressed, but it was the Reserves who took the lead as good commitment by Kiwomya saw him block a clearance from the Needham keeper and the ball found the back of the net. Chris Alcock came on for Joshua Moore late on and the Referee waved away a penalty shout in the dying minutes of the game as the Reserves held out for the three points and move up to 12th in the Thurlow Nunn Division One North table.

They travel to AFC Sudbury Reserves in their next match on Saturday.

FT - Needham Market Reserves 2 Reserves 3

Reserves - Noon, Groom (Garrard 45 mins), Shopov, Gaffer, Mansfield, Canham, Aitkens, Moore (Alcock 82 mins), Hammond (Kiwomya 60 mins), Bacon, Bloom. Subs not used - Coldwell and Seymour.

Man of the Match - Finley Noon