Match Report

Great Yarmouth Town  v Holbeach United.

 

Saturday 16th September 2023.  Report by Martin Baxter.

 

On another glorious September sunny day the Bloaters hosted high flying Holbeach United in a 5th v 6th place clash and this looked like being a very tight encounter which could go either way.  

Yarmouth named an unchanged side from the mid-week win at Norwich CBS and it is great to now see some stability with team selection, which has been so pivotal in achieving the excellent run of recent results.  

 

Just like in their last few matches the Bloaters came out of the blocks flying and in the first minute Sanders hit a superb strike from 25 yards out that beat the keeper, rattled against the woodwork, and was then cleared and 3 minutes later Sanders had another effort at goal which the Tigers keeper did well to stop and the home side were putting their opponents under some intense early pressure. 

 

This early pressure was rewarded in the 11th minute when a close range shot from Sanders was saved by keeper Rigby and the ball came out to Fenn who made no mistake with a clinical finish to put his side 1-0 up and 6 minutes later Spooner was hauled down in the box after going on an excellent solo run and the referee awarded Yarmouth a penalty, which Couzens converted perfectly to make it 2-0.   

 

Yarmouth were in control of the midfield area and were winning all of the 50/50 challenges and on 20 minutes Couzens found himself in space at the edge of the 6 yard box and he coolly struck the ball home to make it 3-0 and It is often the case that away sides at this level after a long journey can sometimes start slowly and this very much looked the case with Holbeach and they now had a mountain to climb to get anything out of this game.    

 

On 41 minutes from a Sanders corner Adams rose highest to head the ball home and give the Bloaters an extraordinary 4-0 lead, however Holbeach did put the ball into the net in first half stoppage time, however Frost was adjudged to have handled and received a yellow card for his troubles and the goal was disallowed.

 

Half Time:  Great Yarmouth Town 4  Holbeach United 0. 

 

The 2nd period began with Frost having another chance to score in the 1st minute, however Yarmouth keeper Lane did well to make the save from his shot and barely a minute later Fenn should have made it 5-0 and effectively game over but he took too long in shooting at goal allowing 2 defenders to get back and block his effort off of the line. 

 

In the 50th minute Frost found the net once again with a close range header and this time the goal stood and the Tigers now had a lifeline back into this match and 5 minutes later Holbeach substitute Carter was sin binned for dissent, however despite being down to 10 men the visitors were now looking very much the stronger of the 2 teams.      

 

Both sides then had several half chances without taking them and in the 68th minute the Tigers were awarded a penalty when Lane was adjudged to have brought down Frost in the box and Carter who had just returned from his 10 minutes on the sidelines duly converted the spot kick to make it 4-2 and create a few jitters amongst the home supporters watching on from the stands, and those jitters got even worse 7 minutes later when Adams was adjudged to have handled in the box and the Tigers were awarded a second penalty, which once again Carter converted to make it 4-3 and set up a grandstand finish.   

 

It was almost 4-4 in the 76th minute when Frost hit a fierce shot at goal forcing Lane to pull off a first class save and it looked as if Yarmouth were going to have to roll up their sleeves and defend for their lives to come away with the 3 points, and Belmar and Stanley were brought on in the 77th minute to add some fresh legs to the battle and in the 88th minute joint man of the match Frost missed with a header by a matter of inches, however after what seemed an eternity of injury time the referee finally blew the final whistle on a match which had been a fantastic advert for non-league football.