Brightlingsea Regent travelled to Bloomfields to face Needham Market, which definitely was the hardest opposition of Pre-season so far.

The Marketmen shot out of the traps and produced a very fast start, with only a few minutes on the clock they could have been in front. Possession was turned over on the edge of the Regent box, and a neat through ball picked out Needham’s Taylor Clark but his effort was dragged wide of Turner’s post.

Regent developed an attack of their own shortly after, when Ager won a freekick at the byline, his delivery forced a corner. From the resulting delivery by Booth, Lewis Byrne-Hewitt on the back post couldn’t nod on target and his effort went high.

Needham kept knocking on the door, but after a few long range efforts by the hosts, the R’s defence stood firm!

Regent could have stolen the lead against the run of play, a brilliant through ball into the area by Billy Wales was just shy of Trialist B’s foot and the ball ran through to the keeper.

The hosts Needham eventually got the break through with 5 minutes of time to play in the half, a ball over the defence caused a mixup of communication between Wales and Turner, with the ball falling to Fennell to produce a neat chip into an empty net! 0-1 Half Time

Regent made a couple of changes at the break with another Trialist introduced at Right Back and Harry McDonald coming into the midfield.

With an hour or so on the board, Regent forced their best chance of the match. Harry McDonald broke forward and the R’s outnumbered the host defenders, McDonald squared it to Gilbert, who had replaced Ager, but his shot was blocked, last ditch by the Marketmen defender.

Needham continued to create chances, Billy Hunt broke through and hit a powerful left foot drive which Turner was equal to.

However, with 20 minutes to play, the host doubled their advantage. A low powerful shot from distance forced a fantastic initial save from Turner to parry away, but Billy Hunt reacted the quickest to smash into the bottom corner, with that wicked left foot we all know only too well! 2-0

The R’s hunted a way back in, Harry McDonald burst through once again with a bouncing half volley on target, but the goalkeeper did well to push away!

The match came to an end with the hosts sealing victory by 2 goals to nil.

A fantastic game which saw both sides produce some excellent football, there no doubt Needham will be one of the favourites for their division come the business end of the season.

For the R’s, that added saying, you learn more in defeat then you do by winning! The guys will certainly attempt to learn from that on Tuesday, when we host Coggeshall Town.

First Half Team: Turner, Smith-Walter, Wales, Durling, Ribchester (c), Trialist (A), Byrne-Hewitt, Crissell, Booth, Ager, Trialist (B)

Second Half Team: Turner, Trialist (C), Wales, Durling, Trialist (A) (Bennett 65’), Ribchester (Thompson 55’), McDonald, Byrne-Hewitt (Trialist D 55’), Ager (Gilbert 50’), Booth, Trialist (B) (Barnett 60’)