Great Yarmouth Town v Sudbury Town Reserves.
Saturday 29th October 2022. Report by Martin Baxter.
After 2 excellent back to back away wins Yarmouth returned to the Wellesley to face Sudbury Town Reserves who sat in 16th position in the league and who have also had a couple of very good wins in the last couple of weeks.
Before the game there was a minutes silence to pay respects to Yarmouth’s entrance gate man Alistair Chapman who very sadly passed away recently and who will be very much missed around the club.
The only change for the Bloaters was enforced as Cantwell had to start on the bench owing to receiving a slight knock in the mid -week game and McQueen took his place in the starting line-up, otherwise it was an unchanged team from that superb win at Swaffham.
This encounter kicked off and the visitors came flying out of the blocks showing real intent and were looking very dangerous and as early as the first minute they had a header from a corner that just went wide.
They then won 2 more successive corners and had Yarmouth pinned back into their own half and under intense pressure, and from yet another corner Lane in the Yarmouth goal was forced into making a point blank save to keep out an effort from Smith.
However in the 6th minute the home side finally pushed forward and Barnes found himself in an excellent position to score, but somehow lost his footing at the crucial moment and the chance went begging.
4 minutes later Sudbury finally opened the scoring when following yet another corner Smith tucked the ball into the net from 10 yards out with a well taken volley.
In the 15th minute Sudbury almost made it 2-0 when a 35 yard pile driver from Pearce hit the woodwork before coming back out for Smith to tap into the net, however the goal was disallowed for off-side.
Only 1 minute later Couzens was through one on one with Sudbury’s keeper Catley and they collided together with Couzens coming off worse and having to be taken off and rushed to hospital with a suspected serious shoulder injury and he was replaced by Halliday.
The ref then pointed to the spot and Lonergan stepped up with a perfect penalty to make it 1-1.
Yarmouth then seemed to spring into life after getting level and almost went 2-1 up when following a great run down the left flank from McQueen the ball reached Halliday who’s shot came back off the woodwork and 2 minutes later the same 2 players combined again to send another effort just wide of the right hand post.
However Sudbury sill looked very likely to re-take the lead and in the 40th minute following a superb counter attack that man Smith once again just missed connecting with his effort and then 2 minutes later the 2nd goal for the visitors finally arrived when Kirk unleashed a shot from 15 yards out that sailed into the top right hand corner of the net.
Right on half-time Vincent had an oppurtunity to put the Bloaters level once again following a free kick but he put his shot just wide.
Half-Time: Great Yarmouth Town 1 Sudbury Town Reseves 2.
Yarmouth began the 2nd period on the front foot, however already without their skipper in midfield driving them on they now were also missing their main striker leading the line for them and were finding it very difficult to create any real oppurtunities.
Sudbury however were still looking the better side with a far greater attacking threat and Lane was once again called into action when man of the match Smith tested him with a stinging effort that he was equal too.
On the hour mark Soares was replaced by Fenn and the game was finally up for the home side when Pearce tapped in from close range in the 78th minute to make it 3-1.
Yarmouth did not in anyway throw in the towel and Trenery tested the visitors keeper in the 82nd minute with a volley that went out for a corner and from this corner a header was cleared off the line to deny the Bloaters a certain goal.
As the game went into injury time Lane once again made a very good save from a shot from Kirk and then 1 minute later he was this time unable to stop a 20 yard volley from Skillen hittting the back of the net to make it 4-1 to Sudbury.
Full Time: Great Yarmouth Town. 1 Sudbury Reserves 4.
Yarmouth line up: Lane, Willetts, Philpott, Barnden, Vincent, Barnes, Trennery, Soares, Couzens, McQueen, Lonergan. Subs: Halliday, Fenn, Roberts, Cantwell.
Man of the match: Brae Smith. (Sudbury Reserves)
