Needham Market 3, Devizes Town 0 (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Needham Market 3, Devizes Town 0

3:52pm Thursday 15th December 2005 in Football

FA Vase Third Round:DEVIZES had to travel five hours to East Anglia to end their FA Vase journey at high-flying Needham Market on Saturday.

The team left on a coach at 7.15am for the long trip east, and there was quiet belief within the Devizes ranks after recent form had given reason for optimism.

But it was the big-spending hosts who march on after three first half goals shattered the dream.

Devizes boss Nathan Sheridan said: "We knew it would be hard today and the better side won, but it was a positive experience for some of the younger members of our team to draw on."

Needham Market, who have an enormous budget, had just purchased two players for the sum of £9,000 and pay their top players more than the whole Devizes team put together even though both teams play in step five of the football pyramid.

Within six minutes, the hosts were ahead, as poor marking from a corner gave Needham striker Matt Clements a free header at the front post.

Devizes seemed to have not learnt from the first goal, as another corner from the opposite side gave Michael Betts another free header to make it 2-0 with only 16 minutes played.

It was only Town goalkeeper Jez Hare who gave his side a glimmer of hope with some good saves, but that hope was extinguished in the 27th minute as a free kick from the left hand side was not cleared properly and Lee Norfolk had an easy tap in from four yards.

In the second half the match was much more even as Devizes pressed well in the midfield with Gary Campbell and Steve Bush battling hard against better opposition.

Town keeper Hare made another series of good stops as he flew to his left to deny Clements from a volley in the 57th minute.

The day went from bad to worse as Devizes captain Rob Hannah was sent off for a second but dubious bookable offence in the 89th minute.

Hannah's case was not helped by the home side's bench that jumped up like their player had been shot. This reaction could well have influenced the referee's decision, who was inconsistent during the whole course of the match.

Sheridan added: "I am a bit disappointed with the result and the manner we conceded the goals, but there are no real excuses as we were beaten by the better side.

"Our cause was not helped however by the referee, who was poor all game and summed up his performance with the dismissal of Rob Hannah. We cannot dwell on this performance and look forward to getting back to winning ways again."