Jewson Division One: Needham Market 2 Halstead 0 - HALSTEAD'S run of good form came to an abrupt halt at Needham, where it was back to the bad old days of giving the ball away with gay abandon, and in the end finished a well beaten side.

Needham Market 2 Halstead 0

HALSTEAD'S run of good form came to an abrupt halt at Needham, where it was back to the bad old days of giving the ball away with gay abandon, and in the end finished a well beaten side.

Despite having a full compliment of troops available, apart from Matty Wray,

Ray Filby, Grant Strong, Tony French and Justin Pearce returning, Halstead fell behind after only eight minutes when Marc Wake outjumped two Halstead defenders to nod the ball down for a simple tap in by Colin Sinclair, a one time Halstead top goal scorer.

There was also an early booking for Dean Folkard for a foul on French, before Halstead forced four successive corners, significantly failing to get one effort on goal.

On 20 minutes Needham, full of appetite, forced their first corner which was quickly cleared to the other end where Matt Chinnery headed wide, followed by a weak Ian Taylor effort when well placed.

This is a sympton currently running through the side, so much so, that home keeper Matt Fenn had only one real save, worthy of the name, to make throughout the match.

The second half opened with heavy mist descending, with keeper Lloyd Pentney tipping over from Wake in great style, before Halstead brought on Filby for French, Strong for Danny Chinnery which heralded a spell of pressure, Chris Heasman drawing the one save fron Fenn before Steff Kendall

blazed high over soon after being booked for dissent, then replaced by Pearce.

Needham showed plenty of determination and adaptability and inevitably settled it ten minutes from time when Halstead were caught out by a breakaway with Karl Sandilands putting Hawes away to cross low for Wake to apply the coup de grace.