Following the 3-3 stalemate seven days earlier, a tight and tense battle was anticipated by most of the 536-strong crowd. But, to everyone's surprise, the Reds raced out of the blocks in a bid to kill off the tie early.

In the first minute, the St Ives defence was caught cold by a long ball to the feet of Nathan Szyszlyk. While everybody else around him seemed to freeze, the alert striker turned towards goal before producing a tidy finish into the bottom corner.

The visitors looked a shadow of themselves from the previous week – their best spell reaping a series of corners midway through the first half. But all were competently dealt with by the home defence.

The hosts poured forward and both Danny Thrower and Mark Bailey went close, before man-of-the-match Craig Parker saw his half-volley superbly parried by Mackrey.

However, the relentless pressure soon told and the lead was doubled. Thrower's in-swinging corner found the towering Rhys Barber, and in his 99th appearance for the club, the centre-back made no mistake with a powerful header.

Set-pieces had been one of the Saints' strengths in the first match, but this time it proved to be their downfall. On 41 minutes, another free-kick was flicked on by defender Richard Butler and striker Tommy Smith was on hand to poke the ball home.

The manner in which the shell shocked St Ives team trudged off at half-time indicated the tie had already been settled.

The Reds continued in ruthless mood in the second half. Butler sent a looping header into the hands of the home keeper, before Smith showed neat footwork to deceive two defenders and rifle the ball into the net for Needham's fourth goal and his second.

To their credit, St Ives improved late on, but it was too little, too late.

Further chances fell to substitutes James Evans and Glenn Snell, but both were thwarted by Mackrey.

Needham will now travel to Merstham for a quarter-final tie on Saturday, March 1. The Surrey-based outfit will have stood up and taken notice.


Needham Market: Liam Jones, Jay Denniss, Scott Wark (Glenn Snell 84), Richard Butler, Rhys Barber, Lewis Pemberton (James Evans 72), Mark Bailey (c), Craig Parker, Danny Thrower, Nathan Szyszlyk (Matt Buckle 78), Tommy Smith.

Needham scorers: Nathan Syszlyk (1st minute); Rhys Barber (38mins); Tommy Smith (41 and 62 mins).

St Ives Town: Rob Mackrey, Jason King, Craig Smith, Dan Newman (c), Will Fordham, Simon Claridge, Dan Moyes, Barry Albone, Liam Kennett, Jason Blackwell, Graeme Thackery.

Attendance: 536.