MATCH REPORT - Needham Market U18s - 16/10/25

FA Youth Cup – Third Qualifying Round

Needham Market 4 (Palmer 32, Coton 58, Fiddy 68, Gledhill 77) – Billericay Town 0

Needham Market booked their place in the First Round of the FA Youth Cup with a comprehensive victory over Billericay Town in Suffolk on Thursday evening.

Harlyn Palmer opened the scoring 13 minutes before the interval, before second-half goals from James Coton, Kellen Fiddy and Evan Gledhill added gloss to the scoreline, despite the visitors creating plenty of chances throughout the 90 minutes.

Palmer was a thorn in the Ricay side all evening and had the first effort of the game, testing the palms of visiting keeper Freddie Strang in the opening exchanges. The Essex side responded with a series of promising attacks, threatening when Reiss Lowe almost connected with a teasing Jack Williams cross.

Strang was called into action again to keep out a low strike from Marketman winger Flynn Bobby, as the end-to-end first half continued. The Blues hit back with chances of their own, Tom Walker firing over from range before Charlie Skinner tipped George Milton-White’s deflected effort over the bar.

Despite Billericay’s pressure, it was the home side who took the lead just past the half-hour mark. The lively Palmer found space on the right and his low drive proved too powerful for Strang to keep out.

Billericay ended the half on the front foot and came close to restoring parity when Jacques Lorraine diverted a Lowe cross narrowly over the bar from close range, meaning the hosts took a slender lead into the break.

HT – Needham Market 1–0 Billericay Town

The second half continued in a similar fashion, and Skinner was forced into action to punch an inswinging corner off the line ten minutes after the restart. As Billericay pushed for an equaliser, the hosts struck again just before the hour mark. Brad Smith’s cross from the right eventually fell to Coton, who controlled well before finishing past Strang to double the advantage.

The game swung away from the visitors midway through the half in two pivotal moments. First, Blues substitute Joe Davis struck the base of the post from the edge of the box, and minutes later Fiddy made it 3–0, expertly beating a defender before coolly slotting into the bottom corner.

The Marketmen were now firmly on top, with Bobby and Coton both spurning chances to make it four, but the win was sealed 13 minutes from time when Gledhill, a menace to the Ricay defence all evening, tapped home at the back post.

Despite the scoreline, it was the visitors who finished the stronger. Davis struck the woodwork for a second time as his corner rattled the crossbar, while Bobby Benmore and Matteo Williams both went close to grabbing a consolation in the final minutes.

The hosts, however, held firm to secure a clean sheet and their place in the next round.