Match Report

BLOATERS WINING RUN CONTINUES!

AFC Sudbury Reserves VS Great Yarmouth Town FC.  Saturday 27th January 2024  Report by Martin Baxter.

2nd placed Yarmouth made the long trip to the Suffolk/Essex border to face 5th placed Sudbury reserves for the 2nd time in 2 weeks in what promised once again to be highly entertaining encounter. 

The Bloaters made 2 changes from the mid-week win against Whitton United with Wilson-Towns and Fenn both given starts.  

The match started with the ball really zipping around on the 3G pitch and once again Yarmouth came out of the blocks flying and from a Sanders corner in the 6th minute the ball fell to Barber who placed his shot perfectly from 15 yards out into the bottom left hand corner of the net to make it 1-0.   

This early goal really settled the Bloaters and they started to take control in all the key areas on the pitch and although Sudbury were passing the ball around impressively they were not making any in roads into the final third of the pitch and Yarmouth keeper Ling was a virtual spectator for long periods, however Richardson in the centre of midfield was looking a real threat for the home side with with his excellent range of passes.  

In the 32nd minute a cross from the left by Fenn was met by the head of Sanders, however his effort was superbly finger tipped onto the cross bar by Sudbury keeper Wicks before going out for a corner and from the resulting corner another header this time from Adams went just wide and 5 minutes later a very cleverly worked one two interchange move between Fenn and Sanders ended up with the latter sending a volley a yard wide.    

After being very comfortable for most of the first period Yarmouth paid the price for a mistake in their back line just before half-time, which allowed Williams through on goal and he finished really well to pull his side level.

Half-time:  Sudbury Reserves 1 Great Yarmouth Town 1.

The 2nd half started with both sides on the front foot and with Sudbury buoyed by pulling level just before the break, however on 56 minutes Fenn was fouled just outside the right hand corner of the box and from the resulting free kick from Belmar the ball was met by the head of Duffield from close range to put the visitors 2-1 up.

However Sudbury should really have pulled level just 4 minutes later, however Spurgeon skied his shot high over the bar when in a very promising position and then in the 65th minute a master stroke was played by the Yarmouth management team when they made a triple substitution with first team regulars Cantwell, Philpott and Spooner all coming on together to add some much needed fresh legs to this tough battle.

With Sudbury only having 3 very young and inexperienced looking subs on their bench they do not have this same luxury as an option and this now put them at a huge disadvantage for the remaining 25 minutes of this match as their leggy looking defenders were now having to deal with a totally fresh opposition midfield.   

This tactical move paid dividends in the 82nd minute when Spooner very cleverly lobbed the ball from close to the left hand touchline from 20 yards out over the keepers head and into the net to make it 3-1 and Yarmouth finally had that all important 2 goal cushion to see this game out.

The match was finally put to bed in the 85th minute when Duffield seized on a mistake by a Sudbury defender and smashed the ball into the right hand corner of the net to make it 4-1.   

Thompson and Jacobs both came on for the last few minutes to make sure all the travelling squad were given some game time on the pitch. 

Next up is  a vital top of the table clash with Stanway Pegasus on Saturday 3rd February.

Full Time: Sudbury Reserves 1.  Great Yarmouth Town 4.

GYTFC: Ling, Halliday, Duffield, Wilson-Towns, Adams, Barnes, Fenn, Barber, Couzens, Sanders, Belmar.  Subs: Thompson, Cantwell, Jacobs, Philpott, Spooner.

Man of the match: Louie Duffield.