Ryman Div One North
Tilbury 1 v 1 Needham Market (att 80)
Play off sides shared the points in a competitive encounter in a game dominated by the wind. Tilbury went into the game on the back on a defeat at Redbridge.
Tilbury opened brightly and both Tilbury’s forwards Alex Read and Tom Webb linked up well, causing the Needham’s defence some concern. Tilbury took a well deserved lead on 13 minutes when man of the match Emiel Aiken smashed home from 20 yards in to the bottom corner. On 25 the effective Aiken played in Bradley Barnes who was denied and then Tom Webb struck from 40 yards that whistled just whistled over the bar, before Needham were dealt a blow in the half hour when Duane Wright was dismissed for his second foul on Eljay Worrell.
Both Barnes and Worrell gave the Needham defence some difficulty with some good crosses to the box, which almost lead to Alex Read flicking home on the break. Tilbury dominated proceedings and also had the wind on their backs.
Tilbury continued to push for a second and Read was again denied just before the break when he flicked just wide.
Needham came out the stronger of the sides after the break and made good use of the wind in the second half and piled the pressure on Tilbury with Mcglone going close after 47 minutes and should have equalised 3 minutes later when the leagues, leading goal scorer Sam Newson lobbed wide when through on goal.
On 61 Needham were rewarded for the pressure when Newson’s effort was well saved by James Marrable only for Barber to follow up to score. Although Needham looked the likelier to go on and win the game, Tilbury were still dangerous on the break with their best move of the half involving Barnes, Read and Gary Henty failing to draw Jones in to action after 65 minutes. Newson’s run and shot over after 69 minutes signalled another spell of good Needham pressure and Needham’s winner looked on the cards after 73 minutes when Barber played Newson in on goal but Marrable again blocked his effort. Mcglone fired over after 77 minutes and there were no further gilt edged chances and the match finished all square.
Both late Tilbury subs Tom Wraight and Joe Collins had chances to steal the points in the last few minutes with some good runs but Tilbury could not find the killer touch.
The result saw Tilbury slip to 8th place and now travel to Ware next Saturday.
Team – Marrable, Mead, Worrell, Nightingill, West, Henty, Aiken, Good, Read (Wraight 79), Webb, Barnes (Collins 78)
Subs not used: King and Edwards
