Kirkham & Wesham 3, Needham Market 2

9:15am Tuesday 25th March 2008

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TWO goals in the final three minutes of a pulsating FA Vase Semi-Final firstleg turned this tie on its head and gave Kirkham & Wesham the precious lead they always wanted to travel to Suffolk in a week's time.

Trailing to two early first half goals, it looked after quarter-of-an-hour that all the season's hard work in this competition could all be undone, but a goal in injury time in the first half and two dramatic strikes late on won this match played in front of another bumper 1,000 plus attendance.

It wasn't a ground record but the crowd made enough noise to fill Wembley in the late stages as Kirkham fired in more ammunition on the Needham Market goal that resembled a scene from the Alamo.

But it could all have been different as the home side went behind as early as the fifth minute when Craig Parker split the home defence pass that Jay Dennis tucked away with ease.

And when Kirkham keeper Pete Summerfield dropped a cross over the head of his defender Tony Keefe after 14 minutes there was 31-goal Needham striker Parker to tap the gift home with the simplest of ease.

It gave the home side a mountain to climb - but climb it they did and when the ever menacing Ged Smith rose to firmly head in a James Sheppard free-kick on half time in off a post it was game on for the step six side.

And in a second half when most of us lost count of the chances to equalise, it was an astute double substitute that finally undid the Needham rearguard.

Former Fleetwood prolific scorer Ritchie Allen came on after 57 minutes and promptly began to cause havoc on the left, and with Man of The Match Smith switched to the right, Needham lost their shape.

And with eight minutes to go young striker Matt Walwyn joined the fray and proceeded to send the massed crowd into raptures when he turned and fired in the all important equaliser with three minutes left on the watch.

Then in added on time the Kellamergh Park ground was sent into ecstasy once again when Mark Wane stook out a boot to deflect in a loose ball to win the game for the home side.

A win that sends Kirkham south-east next weekend with a lead to protest.

Boss Mick Fuller said: "I wasn't too worried early on although we could have done without them starting like that but we had so many chances in the second-half l wondered if a goal would ever come.

"Thankfully it did and we built on that and now we have something for the lads to protect down there.

"I would have settled for a draw at half-time but the lads told me in the dressing room at the break that they could win this.

"I didn't realise it was so close to the end but it's fabulous to get the win."

Needham boss Danny Laws was full of praise for Kirkham's fightback too saying:"Fair play to them they gambled by bringing forwards on late in the game and put us under a lot of pressure.

"We had weathered that pressure for long periods but then l have to say we had to contend with, what l felt was two bad refereeing decisions - at least for their first two goals."

Kirkham's victory now leaves them 90 minutes away from Wembley and a draw down in Suffolk next Saturday will be good enough to realise most players' dreams - of a playing at the new Wembley.

Could this dream finally become a reality?