Needham Market midfielder Ben Hunter sees game at National League North leaders Chester as a ‘free hit’ after frustrating midweek draw with Leamington

Needham Market midfielder Ben Hunter feels they have a ‘free hit’ at Vanarama National League North leaders Chester today (3pm), but he was left ‘frustrated’ with Tuesday’s display which saw the Marketmen pegged back late on against Leamington.

The sides shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw at the Ecologic Stadium, Bloomfields on Tuesday, but only after Harry Landers replied to Reggie Lambe’s 68th minute opener with seven minutes remaining.

Tom Rothery's relegation-threatened side were without captain Keiran Morphew, while Jacob Lay also dropped to the bench. Teddy Collis made his home and full debut with Luke Ingram also starting.

Bermuda International Lambe broke the deadlock by rifling home into the top left-hand corner after Kyle Hammond's long-range right wing free-kick was headed dangerously across the box by a defender.

But Leamington secured a point to drive home with when Landers lashed home into the bottom corner in the 83rd minute.

“It wasn’t a great game, to be honest. I don't think neither team probably did enough to win,” said Hunter to Needham’s media officer Drew Kendall.

“You could argue that we could score to go 2-0 up and maybe it's a different game.

“I thought the lads at the back were good, the way they dealt with the aerial threat.

“I knew what Leamington would bring coming here, just a pretty long ball, but I thought the lads at the back done well.

“It’s just frustrating because I don’t think we quite hit the levels of performance that we have in the past few weeks. It’s obviously frustrating, but then again, we had a long travel Saturday and a tough physical game and now another physical game.”

Needham, who occupy the final relegation spot and are three points from safety, know little will be expected from them from today’s game up at league leaders Chester (3pm).

Hunter, a summer signing for AFC Sudbury, said: “I don’t think it gets much tougher than that, top of the league, but we’ll go there and hope to try and implement our game plan and pass the ball.

“We can give it our all and I think it's a bit of a free hit against top of the league. Hopefully we put in a good performance and see where that takes us.”

Needham were beaten 1-0 at South Shields on Saturday courtesy of Paul Blackwell’s first-half goal while a controversial offside flag denied a debut equaliser for recent signing Collis.

Manager Rothery, speaking to the club following Saturday’s win, said: “It’s always difficult, a long way to come and they’re a good footballing side.

“In the first half we found it tough with their formation and the wind was an added factor to that as well, making it very tough at times.

“We probably didn’t take good enough care of the ball at times as well, but it was a game of two halves.

“I thought in the second half we were well on top, first half they were on top.”