Recently-appointed manager Tom Rothery is hoping that ‘a couple of little tweaks’ will help to preserve Needham Market’s National League North status.
Having served as Kevin Horlock’s assistant for five years, Rothery stepped up to take the top job at Bloomfields earlier this month after the former Manchester City and West Ham United midfielder opted to join the new project at lower-league Maldon & Tiptree.
And it has been a positive start to Rothery’s tenure with the Marketmen having scored 11 goals during his quartet of games in charge – including Saturday’s 4-0 home victory over Oxford City.
Needham Market boss Tom Rothery has won two of his first four games in charge. Picture: Ben Pooley
In contrast, Needham’s previous 11 goals in the league came over a period of 13 matches.
“It’s been a couple of little tweaks to how we’re playing,” said Rothery, who has seen his team move out of the relegation zone on goal difference.
“We didn’t change anything for my first game against Brackley but against Farsley Celtic, Hereford and Oxford we wanted to get more entries into the opposition’s box.
“Our full-backs have been a little higher and it seems to have worked, but obviously we need to show it over a longer period.
“That’s not to say there was anything wrong with the team before. I worked with Kev for five years and he did an unbelievable job, as everyone knows. But obviously we’re different people and you’re always thinking could we do this or that differently.
“Maybe there have been times this season where we’ve had a little bit of an inferiority complex about being in this division.
“What I’m lucky to have is a very good changing room and they’re really buying into what we want to do. We’re not going gung-ho and there’s definitely a structure to what we’re doing, but my philosophy will always be about trying to win and if we’re going to lose then we’ll lose on our terms.”
The unrelenting nature of Step 2 football continues for Needham tomorrow as they make the 556-mile round trip to take on South Shields (3pm), which is followed on Tuesday by the visit of Leamington to Bloomfields (7.45pm).
It is tough going on what is a relatively small squad, but Rothery is well aware that it is a price that has to be paid.
He added: “It’s a busy period. We’ve just had three weeks of Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday and while we have a clear week before South Shields, we’ve then got another really busy spell.
“It’s tough for us with all of the travel and the league allocation, but ultimately this is the level that we want to be playing our football and you have to understand the travel that comes with it.”
This weekend’s trip to Tyneside is set to mark a debut for new addition Teddy Collis.
The striker has previously turned out for FC Clacton and Maldon & Tiptree – and Rothery believes that he is now ready to take his chance at Step 2.
“You never know for sure how a new player will adapt but he’s a confident type of character,” said Rothery.
“He’s got a swagger about him and I’m confident that he’ll fit in with the rest of the players in the dressing room.
“He’ll add plenty to us in the final third of the pitch. He’s bright, he’s got good technique and he’s got a bit of pace as well.
“I think he’ll enjoy playing with this group and playing under me. He’s hungry, he wants to do well and I’m sure he’ll show his quality between now and the end of the season.”
During Saturday’s 4-0 win over Oxford City, Needham broke the deadlock at a rain-soaked Bloomfields when Kyle Hammond’s threaded pass found Iffy Allen, who cleverly lifted the ball over Kai McKenzie-Lyle in the visitors’ goal.
Hammond was also the creator of Needham’s second goal two minutes before half-time with a cross that was turned in by Jacob Lay.
Goalscorer then provider with 61 minutes on the clock when Lay’s cross was headed home by Jamie McGrath.
And the scoring was completed in stoppage time by 16-year-old attacker Charlie Wood, who rose highest to score his first senior goal.
Prior to the game, there was a presentation for the long-serving Jake Dye after the defender recently made his 400th appearance for the club.
