NEEDHAM Market manager Danny Laws has set himself one goal and his players another going into tonight's Club Colours Suffolk Premier Cup home game against Ipswich Town.

By Elvin King

NEEDHAM Market manager Danny Laws has set himself one goal and his players another going into tonight's Club Colours Suffolk Premier Cup home game against Ipswich Town (kick-off 7.45pm).

Laws, who has led Needham to second place in the Premier Division of the Ridgeons League, said: “I want to put on an entertaining show that will attract new spectators to watch us again. And good displays by my young players could lead to a professional career.

“Ipswich can use the match as a scouting exercise and Bury Town defender Ian Miller is now on Town's books after impressing in a pre-season friendly.”

Laws knows that his team will start underdogs against the full-time professionals from Portman Road but he is not writing off their chances.

He said: “We are tuned to keep it tight at the back and this is our strength. The longer we can keep Ipswich out the better chance we will have.

“The lads played out of their skins to beat Ryman League AFC Sudbury 1-0 in the previous round, as we knew this would be the reward for the winners.

“We are going to enjoy it and, unlike Wroxham who beat us 2-1 on Saturday with a 94th minute goal in the FA Vase, we know we will be playing against a similar passing side to ourselves.”

With Scott Wark, a former Ipswich junior and nephew of former Town star John, out with a hamstring strain, Needham will be served at the back by keeper Liam Jones and central defenders Chris Tracey and Rhys Barber.

“They all performed magnificently at Wroxham, and, if midfielder Mark Bailey does not recover from a knock, young Rhys could take over the captaincy.”

Tracey is joint manager with Laws, and with the reward for the finalists a game at Portman Road, he will be urging his young charges on to cause an upset.

“It is a huge plus for Suffolk football that Ipswich have elected to come back into the Premier Cup after a long absence,” said Laws, who worked on the coaching staff at Norwich City last season.

“Young Scott (Wark) was desperate to play after an outstanding game in the last round.”

Laws and Tracey are to stay loyal to the players who beat Sudbury, which means Tommy Bradlaugh, signed from AFC Sudbury on a two-month loan this week, will not feature despite being eligible.

Tonight's teams

Needham (from): L Jones, Sim, Banham, Tracey, Barber, Agricole, A Jones, Bailey, Buckle, Fleming, Evans, Thorogood, Snell, Deacon, Thrower, Smith.

Ipswich: Supple, Synnott, Barron, Garvan, Casement, Smith, G Williams, Moore, Knights, Leabon, Peters. Subs: C Williams, Plummer, Rhodes, Reason, Robinson, Upson.