Yarmouth made the long trip to the 3 counties border to face fellow struggler’s Haverhill Borough in another vital relegation 6 pointer and following a moral boosting 6 -1 win last Saturday against Parsons Drove the Bloaters went into another bottom basement battle with some much need renewed confidence.   

 

They made 2 late changes from the Parsons Drove win with Willetts and Vincent both making starts in the defence and Duffield was pushed up into a forward position to replace the injured Beeson, also club skipper Cantwell returned from injury and was named amongst the substitutes.   

 

This encounter on Haverhill’s 3 G pitch started very slowly with neither side wanting to give anything away and given the importance of the fixture was somewhat understandable and we did not get our first real action until the 22nd minute when Iron run though the visitors defence only to have the ball taken off his feet by the diving Lane in the Yarmouth goal and 4 minutes later we had the first shot of the match when Couzens hit an effort wide of the left hand post.

 

On the half hour mark Sykes tried a long range effort which was comfortably dealt with by Lane and 10 minutes later the away side had a penalty shout turned away by the referee after a strike by Couzens hit a Boro defender in the box and just before half time Duffield got himself into an excellent position on the left side of the goal but his shot did not beat Boro keeper Kelley-Green who covered his near post really well.

 

The referee then blew for half-time and this first 45 minutes will not live long in the memory.   

 

Half-Time:  Haverhill Borough  0  Great Yarmouth Town 0.

 

The 2nd period started and Yarmouth won an early free kick in a promising position which was taken by Duffileld and his effort went just past the post and the away side were now looking more positive and 3 minutes later from another free kick the ball was sent into the box by Couzens and fell to Fenn who sent his close range effort over the crossbar and a glorious opportunity  to take the lead was missed.  

 

As is so often in these tight affairs it takes a mistake to break the deadlock and on 57 minutes following a miss-timed pass the ball fell to Iron who slotted the ball home from 5 yards out to give Haverhill the all important lead and something to protect for the rest of the match. 

 

Yarmouth then went looking for a way back into this game and on 65 minutes Duffield once again had an opportunity to level, but he put his effort over the bar from 10 yards out and the away side were lacking finishing quality in the final third of the pitch and Haverhill were now defending in numbers and this was making it difficult to break them down. 

 

On 70 minutes Smith and Cantwell were introduced into the battle to help try and salvage a vital point for the Bloaters, however Boro very nearly doubled their lead on 82 minutes and were grateful to keeper Lane who made a superb point blank save to deny Gannaway and in the 88th minute Smith put in a dangerous cross from the right which went right across the box without anyone being able to connect with and deep into injury time Lane was called on once again to make a last ditch stop on his goal line and the  referee then blew the final whistle and this was a crucial 3 points won for the home side.

 

Yarmouth have had only 1 win since the 2nd of January and now face 4 huge cup finals to avoid becoming an Anglian Combination side for the first time in their 125 year history.   

 

Full Time:  Haverhill Borough  1  Great Yarmouth Town 0.

 

GYTFC: Lane, Willetts, Perry, Barnden, Vincent, Philpott, Fenn, Melo, Couzens, Duffield, Jacobs.  Subs:  Cantwell, Smith.

 

Man of the match: Jude Iron.  (Haverhill Borough)

Yarmouth man of the match: Tyrese Melo.