Needham Market lift third straight Suffolk Champions Charity Cup with Jake Dye and Seth Chambers goals seeing off plucky Framlingham Town

Two goals inside the final two minutes, from Jake Dye and Seth Chambers, saw Step 3 Needham Market claim a third straight Suffolk Champions Charity Cup with a 2-0 home victory over Step 6 Framlingham Town.

In a game in which all the proceeds from the ticket sales went to the British Heart Foundation, it looked like the Thurlow Nunn League First Division North Suffolk Senior Cup champions may have been set to hold out for a penalty shootout to decide the outcome of the trophy.

But a diving header from full-back Jake Dye from a Dylan Williams cross ended up providing a reward for the three-times consecutive Suffolk Premier Cup winners’ barrage of pressure in the second half.

Framlingham captain Joe Berry, who had been a key figure at thwarting the hosts in the first half in particular, then conceded a rash penalty on substitute Chambers in the final minute with the teenage striker cooly tucking away from 12 yards.

The visitors, who had fashioned a couple of first-half chances without really making home keeper Marcus Garnham work, did have a chance to take the lead in the 82nd minute, but substitute Shane Hambling pulled his wide angled shot past the far post.

Needham boss Kevin Horlock named three of his four summer signings – Tommy Smith, Tevan Allen and Jamie Smith – in a strong starting line-up with Dan Morphew carrying the armband in the absence of Kieran Morphew while striker Luke Ingram was also unavailable. Fellow new signing Reece Harris was among the substitutes.

Framlingham’s Liam Abraham included Johnny Kerridge, who has returned to the club from a spell at Wickham Market, in the centre of their midfield with new centre-back signing Alfie Norman, from Debenham LC, on the bench.

Needham youngster Ollie Fraser, who represented England Colleges last season, provided the first big chance of the match, following Framlingham’s bright start, in the 14th minute. Bursting on to a long raking pass form Dan Morphew, the winger took the ball on into the area before being denied by the outstretched arm of Edyn Cummings, who diverted the ball away from danger.

It was a largely low key first half where Needham were struggling to find their way past a well organised Framlingham midfield. But they came within a lick of paint of taking the lead in the 35th minute when Jamie McGrath got in down the right-hand side via a neat one-two with Jacob Lay before seeing his shot rattle the outside of the upper right-hand post.

In first-half added time Berry makes an important last-ditch tackle to deny Fraser after the wide man had got in down the inside-left of the area.

Unlike in the first period, The Castlemen were firmly pinned back in the second half but the hosts were struggling to really test Cummings, who made a routine save from Williams’ 53rd minute shot after he left fly after running across his penalty box.

Substitute Callum Page was among a flurry of second-half subsitutes and sent a far post header over before squandering two later efforts as a frustrating storyline appeared to be unfolding for the hosts.

But it was a far-post header from an unlikely source, in full-back Dye, far from known for his goals, that ended up changing the narrative, after Williams’ 88th minute free kick cannoned off the wall and subsequently hoisted into the box, catching Cummings out.

Needham could have stretched their advantage out further in five minutes of stoppage-time with Tommy Smith going close with a header while Chambers drew a good one-handed save out of Cummings.

The trophy, which was first staged in 2021 as a new pre-season event, was therefore once again presented to the Suffolk Senior Cup champions, though Framlingham certainly left the field with their heads held high.

It made it four wins from four in pre-season for Horlock’s side, who had seen off Step 4 Felixstowe & Walton United 1-0 on Saturday thanks to academy midfielfer James Letts’ first senior goal.

Next up is a tough-looking trip to Step 2 Braintree Town on Saturday, a side managed by former Needham player Angelo Harrop, who once shared a pitch with Horlock.

For Framlingham, who start their Thurlow Nunn League season away at Wivenhoe Town a week on Saturday, this weekend sees a match up with Suffolk & Ipswich League side Henley Athletic.

Needham: Garnham, Dye, T Smith, Letts (Crosswaite 46’), D Morphew ©, Allen, McGrath (Page 46’), J Smith (Chambers 64’), Lay (Osborn 64’), Fraser, Williams.

Unused sub: Harris.

Booked: None.

Framlingham: Cummings, Ross, Shopov (Norman 75’), Kerridge, Thorpe, Berry, Whittingstall (Hambling 65’), Tysoe, Willett (Smith 84’), A Exworth (Freeman 75’), G Exworth (Murphy 70’).

Unused sub: Aldis.

Booked: None.

Attendance: 148.