Match Report

FC PARSON DROVE VS GREAT YARMOUTH TOWN FC – 27/8/22

Match Report By Peter Futter

On the 27^th August the 1st team took the trip to Parson Drove with a different back four in the starting line up from the defeat against Cornard Utd the previous week. With Parson Drove being in a similar position to us with a new management team and a much changed squad from last season.

The game opened in a positive way for the travelling team with early corners leading to pressure on the Parson Drove keeper, with Town dominating the ball in possession and with Parson Drove playing on the break. With fifteen minutes gone, George Couzens had an effort which drifted just wide of the post from eighteen yards. Yarmouth then had a corner which was taken by Jordan Cantwell and was cleared. From the breakaway Parson Drove managed to hit the Yarmouth crossbar. On the half hour young Town debutant Jessie Fenn had a chance cleared off the line following some desperate defending by the Parson Drove back line.  The young Yarmouth side were looking comfortable with the experienced Keith Vincent ably supported by his young centre back partner Reagan Perry, who despite his tender years played the game in a very controlled way and always looked comfortable in possession, Ryan Jacobs at left back and Adam Willetts on the right was providing a good defensive line in front of Rueben Lane, limiting Parson Drove to very few chances to threaten the Yarmouth goal.

Then in the thirty-third minute striker Ryan Beeson broke clear on the Parson Drove goal, over running the ball, his challenge on the keeper, Max Flintoff, left the keeper in a heap and a straight red card for Beeson. Town had to regroup and with instruction from manager Dan Nolan, go 4-4-1 with George Couzens playing the number 9 role. It takes Yarmouth a while to settle to the changes, a shot from Fenn, fielded by Flintoff who also tips over an effort from Bradlee McQueen, from the resulting corner there is a clash of heads for Vincent and Miller, Parson Drove start to get on top and the half-time whistle is timely for the visitors.

Following the break, an enforced change for Yarmouth with Willetts coming off and replaced by Tyrese Melo at right back, the half begins evenly with both sides having chances, Couzens goes close, Parson Drove take the initiative on the break and score though Brody Warren and then hit the bar again. This brings Yarmouth to life and slowly they get to grips with the system, and they start to create more chances playing good passing football and switching from one side to the other. It’s one of the passing moves which results in Jesse Fenn scoring his first senior goal at the age of sixteen, finishing smartly. Manger Nolan then subs Gerson Soares for Jack Meakins, moving Melo into centre midfield alongside Cantwell. Town now start to get on top despite only having ten men, forcing some last ditch defeating from Parson Drove. More substitutions follow, Louie Duffield and Sam Adams on for the hardworking McQueen and scorer Fenn. Duffield has a change breaking from just inside the half, which the keeper Flintoff gets a hand to the ball before it having to be cleared off the line by some desperate defending just inside the post. A lucky escape for the team from the fenlands. Sam Adams has the final chance for Yarmouth before referee Jaden Lister blows up for full time, final score 1-1. A well-deserved point saved, but could it have been more?

Team: R Lane, A Willetts, K Vincent, R Perry, R Jacobs, G Soares, B McQueen, J Cantwell, R Beeson,

 G Couzens, J Fenn, Subs: T Melo, J Meakins, S Adams, L Duffield.