Needham Market manager Kevin Horlock says home defeat to Farsley Celtic in National League North was ‘a bitter pill to swallow’

Needham Market boss Kevin Horlock described their 1-0 home loss to Farsley Celtic on Saturday as ‘a bitter pill to swallow’ as it continued their wait for their first home points in the Vanarama National League North.

The Marketmen had been looking to carry the momentum from two excellent consecutive aws ay victories in the past week – which included their first ever win at Step 2 – with their first positive result at Bloomfields since promotion at the fourth attempt.

But despite dominating the second half and arguably shading the first period, where both sides created several promising chances, it was the West Yorkshire outfit who were left celebrating after Danny Greenfield fired in an unstoppable shot following a throw-in being worked across the fringe of the area in the 82nd minute.

It left Horlock and his players stunned, and despite creating a couple of openings thereafter in a bid to retrieve the situation, they were left facing up to a fourth straight home defeat and remaining just a place outside the relegation zone in the early standings.

“It’s really disappointing,” he said, “I thought we controlled long parts of the game and created some chances, but you’ve got to take them at this level.

“Unfortunately we’ve missed chances at Hereford on Tuesday (1-0 away win), and we’ve done the same again today.

“It’s cost us massively in a game where I was going to be disappointed to only get a point.

“To be sat here now with no points, yes, it’s a bit of a pill to swallow.”

Horlock, who had been named the division’s Manager of the Week going into the contest, thought his side lacked a bit of creativity as well as a clinical touch.

He said: “I thought we did okay in the game. We just lacked a little bit of invention in the final third.

“We weren’t ruthless enough. On another week we scored a couple of goals today but they didn’t go in.

“We weren’t confident enough. We didn’t take the chances that come our way.

“When that happens you always risk it coming back to haunt you, which it did at the end.

“It came from our throw-in, it’s our fault we took it too early. We’re not set and it’s dropped a lad in midfield who’s able to run 10 yards and it’s a good finish to be fair to him.

“No doubt they’ll be leaving here over the moon and thinking they took three points but that’s football.”

Despite having lost all four games at home this season, and having said their home form will be key in their bid for survival at the higher level, Horlock is far from worried about their start to the campaign.

“No, I think if we win today we would have three points off the play-offs,” he said, “there’s a hell of a long way to go.

“I do feel that it’s three points dropped, I’m not going to lie. The performance was there – just not that killer instinct in front of goal when chances come.

“There is positives to take out of it. We’ve dominated large parts of a Step 2 game again but we’ve not took the chances to get the points, which is the main ingredient that you’re after.

“We’ll keep working hard and keep trying to put that right.”

Captain Kieran Morphew was unusually withdrawn in the second half but the Needham boss confirmed it was more precautionary.

He said: “His groin is a bit sore but I’m sure he’ll be all right by next week hopefully.

“It’s good to have everybody back training and obviously, we’ve got the FA Cup next week which offers different challenges but we’re looking to progress in that as well.

“Hopefully, by then, two training sessions we’ll be firing on cylinders.”

The Marketmen now have a full week to prepare for their entry into this season’s Emirate FA Cup, but although the draw for the second qualifying round has given them another opportunity to get off the mark in their home campaign, it has given them a tough start with National League South side St Albans City the visitors next weekend (3pm).

Horlock added: “The last two away performances have been really good and overall at the games we’ve played, performances have been fairly good.

“Today, again, I thought the performance was okay without that final third stuff, which bit us on the backside a little bit today.

“We’re just looking to try and get that first win at home. Hopefully, that will come in the FA Cup next week and hopefully then lead to more results and more points being won at home.”

Next weekend’s cup opponents find themselves bottom of the table after eight games, having only picked up two points, one of which was from a goalless home draw with Weston-Super-Mare on Saturday.

Needham have a good recent recoerd in the competition, having followed up their first ever appearance in the first round proper in 2022/23 – exiting away to Burton Albion – with a run to the fourth qualifying round last year, ending up bowing out at York City 1-0 in a replay.