Darlington 3 Needham Market 1

Hatfield 3 mins 1-0, Main pen 30 mins, 2-0, Allen 72 mins, 2-1, Main 75 mins 3-1

Attendance 1335

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Quakers finished their fixtures with a comfortable 3-1 home win over Needham Market.

They scored twice in the first 30 minutes through Will Hatfield and Cedric Main,and looked good for more goals, but Needham caused an anxious moment when they pulled a goal back.

However, Main scored his second of the game to put his side beyond reach of Needham, who had a man sent off in the first half for the penalty.

Quakers took the lead on 3 minutes. Cedric Main took the ball into the Needham penalty area and set up Will Hatfield, who took a touch and fired into the bottom right hand corner of the net for his ninth goal of the season.

Needham tried to reply when they broke away, but Kallum Griffiths just managed to get his toe to the ball and intercept, and then Jake Dye headed a right wing cross into the hands of Pete Jameson.

They went close on 20 minutes when Luke ingram picked the ball up on the left side of the penalty area and tried curl the ball into the top corner, but the ball went just past the post.

Cedric Main showed some good skill on 23 minutes when he worked his way into the box past three men, and his final effort went just past the left hand post.

Quakers went close again on 27 minutes when Caden Kelly drove the ball over from the right to the far post,  where Jack Maskell had a header tipped over the bar by Josh Blunkell.

Kelly then popped up on the left and put a great cross over for Maskell to control, and then fire just over the top.

Quakers won a penalty on 30 minutes when Kelly cleverly split the Needham defence for Main to latch on to, but he was pushed from behind and the referee pointed to the spot, also sending off defender Kyle Hammond for the foul. Main sent the keeper the wrong way for his 11th goal of the season.

They nearly got a third when Needham keeper Josh Blunkell miscued, allowing Kelly to set up Main, but the striker couldn’t control the ball on the bumpy surface.

Maskell brought a good save out of Blunkell when he received a ball from Hatfield, turned quickly, and fired towards the bottom corner, but the keeper saved well.

Half time 2-0

Quakers made two subs at the start of the second half, Sam Hetherington and Matty Cornish coming on for Caden Kelly and Will Hatfield.

Barrow and Hetherington combined well on the left at the start of the second half and set up Main, who couldn’t get his shot away, but Cornish next to him did, and the ball went over the bar.

Quakers were well in control at this stage, and on the hour McGowan limped off and was replaced by Ben Hedley.

Needham thought they should have had a penalty for a foul by Storey in the area, but the referee waved play on.

Quakers nearly got a third when Griffiths played a couple of 1-2 s up the right, and he popped up in the six yard box to volley a Cornish cross towards goal, but Blunkell saved.

Then Maskell was denied by a sliding tackle when he had a shot blocked from a Griffiths cross.

But Needham pulled a goal back on 72 minutes when Teval Allen picked the ball up in the box, turned, and hit a deflected shot past Jameson.

However, Quakers made it 3-1 two minutes later, when Hedley controlled a diagonal ball from Storey, and threaded the ball through for Main to turn past the keeper.

There was a chance of a fourth when Barrow crossed from the left for Maskell to put a diving header wide, then Cornish headed just over from a Platt cross.

Final score:

3-1

Team: Jameson, Griffiths, Storey, Forbes, Barrow, Platt, Hatfield (sub Hetherington 46), McGowan (sub Hedley 60), Kelly (sub Cornish 46), Maskell, Main

Subs:  Lees, Adams