The Premier Division side started the game quickly dominating play in the early stages, and after Osei had an early effort cancelled out for offside, and Bogard tipped Dobson’s strike wide the visitors opened the scoring in the sixth minute when Oliver Fenn rose to head Whight’s freekick into the top corner of the net. Needham continued to press forward with Osei and Turner having chances, before the pair combined to get into the area midway through the half only for Bogard to push away Osei’s shot with a diving save. Having created very little in the opening period, Soham equalised with their first meaning effort in the 29th minute when Ryan Sharman collected a forward ball, to go on a run towards the edge of the area where he placed wide of Gay. The goal lifted the hosts and after Ogbonna had a couple of efforts off target the Greens took the lead in the 38th minute when Swinton delivered a right sided ball towards the edge of the area where Victor Adeboyejo spun to volley home. Soham were forced into a change in the final minute of the half when the injured Robbie Mason was replaced by recent signing Ross Elsom for his debut.

Soham started the second half as they finished the first on the attack, and will wonder how they didn’t increase their lead six minutes after the restart as firstly Foxley placed over, before Adeboyejo played in Ogbonna, who saw his shot come back off the post before Gay made saves to keep out Sharman and Adeboyejo. Needham made a triple change in the 55th minute, and one of the subs, Luke Ingram, made an immediate impact playing a deep ball into the area for Emmanuel Osei to equalise heading across Bogard. Dobson placed wide before Osei scored his second of the game just after the hour when he ran onto a throughball between Bogard and Gent to roll into an empty net. The visitors further increased their lead midway through the half when the ball was delivered towards the back post for Reece Dobson to convert. Before the game restarted Soham made their final changes with Callum Russell and Salim Relizani being introduced, with the latter firing his freekick just over the bar before pulling a goal back in the 74th minute when he rose to head Elsom’s freekick over Gay. The game continued to switch ends with Brothers firing just over before Osei was given the opportunity to complete his hat-trick with ten minutes to go when the visitors were awarded a penalty after Bogard fouled Fenn as he challenged for the ball, however the striker fired his spot kick well over the bar and the stand behind. From another Elsom freekick, Adeboyejo headed narrowly over before the striker was denied again with two minutes remaining with Miller blocking his header on the line, only for the pair to clash heads. Following a lengthy delay whilst the pair were treated, Adeboyejo was able to continue with the Needham Captain being stretched off, and having used all the substitutes the visitors saw out time a man short to book their place in the next round where they will travel to Bury Town.

Soham Town Rangers
C. Bogard, S. Swinton (C. Russell 66), A. White, R. Horne, J. Gent, L. Groves, D. Foxley, D. Ogbonna (S. Relizani 66), V. Adeboyejo, R. Mason (R. Elsom 44), R. Sharman
Unused: R. Nightingale, D. Theobald

Needham Market
D. Gay, J. Dye, D. Coakley, O. Fenn, I. Miller, J. Whight, M. Booth (L. Ingram 55), K. Turner (M. Brothers 55), E. Osei, J. Curtis (K. Morphew 55), R. Dobson
Unused: K. Izzet, J. Bradbrook

Score: (2-1) 3-4

Goals
STRFC: R. Sharman (29), V. Adeboyejo (38), S. Relizani (74)
NMFC: O. Fenn (6), E. Osei (56, 61), R. Dobson (66)

Yellow Cards
STRFC: L. Groves (5), A. White (32)
NMFC: O. Fenn (12), K. Morphew (82)

Attendance: 103