Shamsi bags a brace as Puritans make it back-to-back wins

Two goals from Ravi Shamsi and one apiece for Greg Kaziboni and Luke Fairlamb - with his first for the club - saw United take all three Premier Central points.

Manager Mike Ford kept the same starting line-up which beat Stourbridge last time out and United made all the early running.

They took a fourth minute lead and it was two loanees who combined to provide it. Fairlamb received the ball on the left and beat Jake Dye before crossing to the far post where Kaziboni rose above Callum Sturgess to head home.

The visitors responded with some neat inter-passing and Luke Ingram tested Jack Harding from the edge of the box. Needham Market have been impressive on their travels this season, picking up 26 of their 47 points on the road, and it was clear to see why as they produced good spells of possession after going behind.

United were restricted to limited possession and forced to defend well, relying on the counter-attack with Fairlamb their route for turning defence into attack and he provided two more dangerous crosses which came to nothing. United went close midway through the half when Giorgio Rasulo won possession and advanced before releasing Shamsi who raced into the box but was thwarted by a last-gasp challenge from Noah Collard.

The pressure grew as the half progressed and the visitors went close again when Ingram cut inside and forced Harding to parry his low drive and Gareth Heath shot wide from the rebound. But they found it difficult to open up United's defence in which Connor Roberts and Jake Walker shone.

United doubled their advantage in the 34th minute and Fairlamb was once again the provider. A quick break saw Fairlamb cross into the box where Shamsi managed to hook the ball back across Marcus Garnham and into the far corner of the net.

Craig Parker went close to a quick reply when his snap-shot flew past the post before Ingram saw his free-kick tipped over the bar by Harding.

Needham Market deservedly reduced the arrears two minutes before the break when another good move ended with Parker finding Ingram who hit his shot first time across Harding and inside the far post from 15 yards.

United twice went close to restoring their two-goal cushion just before the break. Fairlamb twisted and turned before finding Rasulo who took one touch and curled a fine effort out of Garnham's reach only to see the ball hit the inside of the upright and come back across the goal before being cleared. And in stoppage-time Walker's deep cross was headed back into the middle by Ricky Johnson where Shamsi's header was tipped over by Garnham.

But United got that third goal in the 53rd minute when Harding's clearance was deftly flicked on by Johnson to leave Shamsi in the clear and he raced away to beat the advancing Garnham with a low angled drive from 15 yards which found its way into the net via the far upright.

Needham Market continued to play good football but were less effective in the second half as United got to grips with their style of play.

United made the game safe in the 67th minute when Shamsi superbly picked out the impressive Fairlamb who beat Daniel Morphew on the angle of the box and rifled the ball past Garnham and into the far corner of the net.

The visitors pulled a goal back in stoppage-time when a cross from substitute Jamahl Goodward fell to Parker who drilled the ball into the roof of the net.