Swaffham Town v Great Yarmouth Town. Saturday 2nd March 2024. Report by Martin Baxter.
On a cold and damp Saturday the Bloaters made the relatively short journey up the A47 for a Norfolk derby with old foes Swaffham Town, who currently sit in 17th place in the league after enduring a difficult season so far.
Yarmouth made only 2 changes from last Saturday’s win against Harwich & Parkeston with starts being given to both Wilson-Towns and Adams.
The game started on a surprisingly very good surface considering all the recent rain and the pitch inspection made earlier in the day must have been a simple formality, and Yarmouth once again got off to a flyer with a goal in the first 5 minutes when a Sanders cross from the left sailed into the box was met by Couzens who connected with the ball perfectly to make no mistake and place it into the net to make it 1-0.
Just 2 minutes later the Pedlars had the chance to pull level when a header from Bruce in the 6 yard box went a couple of feet wide of the target when he should really have done better.
Yarmouth were looking the stronger of the 2 sides with their excellent passing and movement and with such fire power in the final third it seemed only a matter of time before they doubled their tally and indeed they did on 14 minutes when a long ball over the top from Halliday found Couzens on the right hand side of the box and from a very tight angle he somehow managed to beat Pedlars keeper Hemmings at his near post with a superb strike to make it 2-0.
It was now all Yarmouth and 5 minutes after scoring their 2nd they almost added a third when a Sanders corner was met by Barnes with a powerful header that keeper Hemmings did well to save.
The 3rd goal did eventually come in the 34th minute when Belmar found himself through on goal after surging though the Swaffham defence and his shot was superbly saved at point blank range by Hemmings, however the rebound fell kindly to Duffiled who had the simple job of placing the ball into the net to make it 3-0 and it now looked a long way back for the Pedlars.
Swaffham were playing very direct and they did create a couple of half chances leading up to half-time with Bruce in particular causing a few problems, however Yarmouth keeper Ling dealt comfortably with every threat and just before half-time Duffield hit a volley which clipped the cross bar before going out of play.
Half-Time: Swaffham Town 0 Great Yarmouth Town 3.
The 2nd period started with the home side now having the advantage of playing down hill on this sloping pitch and they came out showing some intent to get back into the match, without being able to create a clear cut opportunity and just before the hour mark
Yarmouth fully aware of a mid-week game against Parsons Drove coming up then made 3 changes with Spooner, Melo and Fenn all coming on and the coaching staff were utilising their squad as once again they had such a very strong bench. In the 62nd minute Sanders had a goal disallowed for off-side and 1 minute later he put a free kick just over the bar.
However barely a minute later the intense pressure finally paid off when a Belmar corner was met by the head of an unmarked Fenn and he made no mistake sending the ball into the net to make it 4-0 and game over.
The Bloaters were now in full flow and an excellent free-flowing move from one end of the pitch to the other ended with a Couzens cross just missing the head of Halliday by a matter of inches and then Perry came on for the last 10 minutes to make sure once again that most of travelling squad were given some game time on the pitch.
In the 82nd minute and against the run of play Rust hit a stunning volley from 15 yards out for the Pedlars which hit the bar and then in injury time Couzens completed his well deserved hat-trick when he went though on goal and clinically placed his shot past Hemmings and into the net to make it 5-0.
Another excellent performance on the road and the Bloaters now have the luxury of having their next 4 matches all at the Wellesley.
Full Time: Swaffham Town 0 Great Yarmouth Town 5.
GYTFC: Ling, Halliday, Philpott, Wilson-Towns, Adams, Barnes, Duffield, Cantwell, Couzens, Sanders, Belmar. Subs: Perry, Spooner, Melo, Barber, Fenn.
Man of the match: George Couzens.
