Great Yarmouth Town FC v Heacham FC. Saturday 12th November 2022. Report by Martin Baxter.
On a very mild autumn day Yarmouth played hosts to high flying Heacham, who would go top of the league with a win and therefore this was a very tough test for the young Bloaters!
The home side made 3 changes from last Saturday’s narrow defeat at Whittlesey, with Vincent, Willetts and skipper Cantwell all returning to the starting line up.
Before the match club Chaplin David Mills read out a remembrance day poem to remember all those lost in conflicts, along with a 2 minute silence.
Yarmouth got off to the worst possible start when in only the 7th minute a cross from the right was headed home by McLeish to put the visitors 1-0 up, and it got even worse for the home side on 12 minutes when following a collision between Barnes and Coe, the young Bloater had to go off with a cut eye and was replaced by Perry.
These 2 early blows really rocked Yarmouth and their opponents were now smelling blood and started attacking in numbers and in the 20th minute Gray had an effort blocked by Yarmouth keeper Lane, however to their credit the home side stood firm and were defending resolutely and were looking both organized and well drilled. However the pressure continued when in the 38th minute Gray had another sight at goal and this time put his shot over the bar.
2 minutes later Davies wriggled past 2 defenders but was blocked by Vincent before he was able to get his shot away and for all their dominance the visitors were not really testing the home keeper Lane as much as they should have been and just before half-time Heacham’s stand out player Gray had another surging run at goal and once again he was blocked out by some last ditch defending.
The ref then blew the whistle for half time and Yarmouth were mighty relived to go in at half time only 1-0 down after being under the cosh for long periods.
Half-Time: Great Yarmouth Town 0 Heacham 1.
The 2nd half started a little more positively for the home side when in the 46th minute Trenery went through one on one with keeper Watson, however the keeper got to the ball first and blocked out his effort and Yarmouth were finally starting to get a foothold in this match after being 2nd best in all departments in the first 45 minutes.
A minute later Yarmouth’s best player on the day Trenery had their first shot on target in the match, but his effort was comfortably saved by Watson in the visitors goal and then the action switched to other end of the pitch as Lane made an excellent point blank save from a Gass effort to keep his team in the match, and then in the 68th minute the visitors striker Gass once again had another great chance to score, but with only the keeper to beat he put his shot just wide of the target.
Already on a yellow card after the Barnes incident in the first half Coe was taken off by the Heacham management before he was sent off after a final warning from the ref following a late tackle.
On 80 minutes Rix and Gomez-Lopes came on to add some fresh legs to the home side and 1 minute later Trenery went on a superb surging run and let loose with a shot that went just wide and 2 minutes later the action once again switched to the other goalmouth when this time a Heacham cross from the left went right across the box and just evaded the boot of striker Gass.
In the 88th minute it was Yarmouth’s turn to put a dangerous cross into the box which once again evaded everyone and was cleared by the visitors and the match finished with Heacham going top of the league and Yarmouth ruing those 2nd half missed opportunities.
Full Time: Great Yarmouth Town 0 Heacham 1. Attendance: 111.
Great Yarmouth line up: Lane, Halliday, Philpott, Vincent, Barnden, Barnes, Lonergan, Willetts, Duffield, Cantwell, Trenery. Subs: Perry, Roberts, Gomez-Lopez, Rix.
Man of the match: Luke Gray. (Heacham)
Man of the match: George Barnden. (The Bloaters) Sponsored By 4 Aces Fun Casino
