Great Yarmouth Town v Ely City. Saturday 7th September 2024. Report by Martin Baxter.
On a very sunny and warm early September Saturday afternoon the Bloaters returned to league action after their recent cup exploits with a very tricky looking home game against third placed Ely City.
The Robins have made an excellent start to the new season winning 5 of their opening 7 fixtures and they arrived at the Wellesley confident of picking up another 3 points.
Yarmouth made only one change from last Sunday’s cup game against Cheshunt with Duffield returning to the starting line up and in a slight re-shuffle Fenn started at right back and Adams moved back into his natural position in the centre of the defence.
Also new signing Samuel Howell was named amongst the substitutes after his switch from Lowestoft Town earlier in the week.
The match started brightly for Yarmouth as they went of the front foot and in the 2nd minute an excellent passing exchange between Barber and Duffield ended with the ball finding Couzens, who unleashed a shot from 12 yards out that Robins keeper Sutton did well to stop and the home side were asking all the early questions.
However we then entered a passage of play where both sides and in particular the Bloaters were guilty of some sloppy passing and they were giving away possession far too easily and in the 15th minute following some poor defending ex Peterborough United striker Friend put the ball into the net from close range, however the assistant referee raised his flag and the goal was disallowed for offside.
Yarmouth were being pressed really well by their opponents and this tactic was certainty causing them problems as they could not get into their normal attacking rhythm, which has been so successful for them so far this season. However in the 34th minute a long throw in from Adams was met first time by Fenn who hit a volley from 15 yards out that just went over the bar. Duffiled then tried his luck with a free kick from 20 yards out that went a foot wide of the post and just before half-time a Belmar free kick was met by the head of Deeks, but once again the header was off target and both sides went in at the break all square at at 0-0.
Half Time: Great Yarmouth Town 0 Ely City 0.
The 2nd period began with the first chance falling to the Robins when their skipper Jenkins connected first time with a volley from a long throw in, however his effort was well dealt with by Ling in the Yarmouth goal and 3 minutes later following a corner a shot from close range by Duffield was cleared off of the goal line by an Ely defender and the ball came out to Deeks who made no mistake this time, smashing his strike into the corner of the net to make it 1-0.
On the hour mark Halliday came on for Fenn as the home side went searching for the crucial 2nd goal and in the 70th minute Belmar raced clear through on goal, but his shot went straight at the keeper who dealt with it comfortably.
Ely then made 3 changes all at the same time to add some fresh legs to their attack and at 1-0 they were still very much in this battle and in the 82nd minute a Belmar free kick was met by the head of Adams but he failed to find the target, however just 3 minutes later the same player had another bite at the cherry and this time he did find the net, slotting the ball home from 8 yards out following a corner to make it 2-0.
Cooper, Perry, Leo Spooner and new boy Howell all came on in the closing stages as the Bloaters have another tough looking fixture away at Mulbarton on Tuesday evening and key players were substituted with that game in mind and deep into injury time the Robins
almost snatched a consolation goal when Partridge headed just a matter of inches wide following a corner.
The game then ended and Yarmouth moved up into the top 4 with games in hand on the teams above them.
Full Time: Great Yarmouth Town 2 Ely City 0. Attendance: 193.
GYTFC: Ling, Fenn, Belmar, Wilson-Towns, Deeks, Adams, Duffield, Jacobs, Couzens, Barber, J. Spooner. Subs: Cooper, Perry, Halliday, Howell, L. Spooner.
Man of the Match: Connor Deeks. (Simply the best player on the pitch and made it look so easy)
