Great Yarmouth Town Reserves v Norton Athletic.
Saturday 11th February 2023. Report by Martin Baxter.
On a very mild and overcast Saturday Yarmouth reserves entertained Norton Athletic, one of the favourites to win promotion this season.
The Millers currently sit joint top of the league and included in their match day squad ex bloaters Jay Turner and Cameron Wing and also ex Gorleston winger Keegan Middleton.
Having players of that calibre in their line up and facing a manager less Bloaters side who were really struggling despite gaining a decent point away at Horsford last time out, meant this looked at least on paper a formality for the away side.
The match started and for the first 10 minutes or so was very evenly contested until in the 11th minute a routine cross into the box was spilled by Yarmouth keeper McEwen and the ball fell to Liam Brown for a simple tap in to put Norton 1-0 up.
The visitors doubled their lead just 4 minutes later with a wonderful strike from 20 yards out from Middleton that gave the keeper no chance of stopping and it brought back memories of his goals against Yarmouth in the east coast derbies over the years.
The away side were now in total control and ex bloater Turner hit the post 2 minutes later with a close range strike which rebounded back to Duncan who put his effort just wide of the left hand post, however in the 18th minute Yarmouth finally won a free kick in a dangerous area, however the effort from Bishop went sailing over the bar and 5 minutes later Yarmouth’s Hughes had a shot at goal from 10 yards out that went just wide.
Bloaters keeper McEwen made amends for his earlier blunder when he made 2 superb saves from firstly Middleton and then Duncan to keep his side within reach of their opponents, he then made another excellent stop on the half hour mark preventing Liam Brown from scoring a second goal on the day.
The best opportunity of the first period for the home side came in the 35th minute when Sam Adams found himself running through on goal, however just as he was about to pull the trigger he was tackled by a Norton defender tracking back and the chance went begging, and this miss proved costly as 5 minutes later an initial shot at goal from 20 yards out was parried away by McEwen only as far as Duncan, who clinically slotted home to make it 3-0.
Then to add salt into the wound for Yarmouth they conceded right on half time from a corner, with Squires heading home from point blank range.
Half time: Great Yarmouth Town Reserves 0 Norton Athletic 4.
The 2nd half started with Yarmouth having to replace Jesse Fenn who took a knock and could not continue and such was the gulf between these two sides in the first 45 minutes this would now make it even more difficult for the home side to get back into the game.
Within 3 minutes of the re-start McEwan was once again called into action, this time making an excellent point blank save from a Middleton strike, turning the ball around the post for a corner however 8 minutes later the same player hit a a screamer from a free kick 30 yards out that this time McEwen was unable to stop as it went sailing into the top right hand corner of the net.
In the 80th minute Middleton tried once again with another spectacular free kick from 25 yards out that this time went just wide.
Being 5-0 up and having total control the Millers still went looking for a 6th goal and this eventually came in then 85th minute from man of the match Liam Brown who tapped home from close range after some excellent build up play.
At the end of the match I asked a group of travelling Norton supporters their choice for the man of the match and they unanimously voted for Liam Brown.
Full Time: Great Yarmouth Town Reserves 0. Norton Athletic 6.
GYTFC Reserves: McEwan, Harrison, Newby, Bishop, Fossett, Norman, Sacremento, Hughes, Adams, Fenn, Purton-Turner. Subs: Nofafa, Grimmer, Smith.
Man of the match: Liam Brown. (Norton Athletic)
Yarmouth man of the match: Alex McEwen.
