Match Report

Match Report – Leiston Reserves Vs GYT 1st Team – 06/09/22

Tuesday the 6^th September saw the first team travel to Leiston reserves in the Thurlow Nunn League Challenge Cup. Having had a fine win on Saturday, 6-1 against Needham Market U23’s spirits should have been high, but again changes were enforced on Managers Blissett and Nolan, with eight of the squad being under 22, including two sixteen year olds on debut on the bench, Troy Evans, and Jake Newby, an eventful evening was going to follow. Club skipper Jordan Cantwell starts on Bench. Rueben Lane remains ever present this season between the posts. Tyrese Melo and Louis Duffield start as fullbacks, Regan Perry has a new centre back partner in Brady Philpott. Tyler Halliday moves into midfield alongside Aaron Sanders, Ryan Jacobs. Bradlee McQueen, skipper George Couzens and Jesse Fenn. Sam Adams joins Cantwell, Newby, and Evans on the bench.

The open ten minutes is even with both teams playing the game at pace as the ball zips off a good pitch made slicker by the heavy rain, which is falling, a bit of relief for the players after the heat of the summer.

First real attempt on goal falls to Jacobs after 13 minutes, but he fires over the bar.  Twenty three minutes gone Fenn plays a great through ball to Aaron Sanders who places his effort just the wrong side of the left post. Tyrese Melo goes in the book just before half time whistle, 0-0.

Second half underway and seven minutes in Halliday gets caught on the edge of the box, for Jake Spooner to put a low shoot pass Rueben Lane in the bottom left corner. 1-0 to the home side. Lane is called into action in the 62^nd minute making an excellent double save before Spooner puts it over the bar.  Five minutes later it’s all square as Bradlee McQueen comes up with a neat finish to keep his goalscoring run going. 74 gone and Leiston’s Kai Fletcher breaks down the right and strikes a superb effort in off the post. McQueen hits a volley just wide as Yarmouth search for the equaliser. 80 gone and lights go out, so play is suspended for and period of fifteen minutes nearly.

On return to play Yarmouth make a double substitution, replacing the hardworking Jacobs and Sanders with the youngsters Evans and Newby. Newby’s first passage of play sees him in the book as he moves into left back, with Duffield being pushed forward a decission which pays off as Duffield smartly lobs Leiston keeper Harrison Podd, Level at the final whistle,2-2, straight to penalties.

The first set of five penalties are all scored for both teams with Yarmouth going second, its now sudden death, It’s the thirteenth penalty to be taken, Lane saves, now all Yarmouth must do is score, but no Podd repeats his opposite number effort and saves, on we go. Lane then comes to the fore again and saves Leistons 9^th attempt, again advantage Bloaters, but not to be as Podd repeats the earlier event. Another pair of penalties are taken before Leistons, Luri Fernandes gets it all wrong and blasts well over the bar. For Yarmouth up steps keeper Rueben Lane to win it, as he coolly strokes the ball past his opposite number, and it finishes 9-8 to the visitors, who now face Needham Market U23’s in the next round.

This was a really enjoyable game to watch, with both teams playing a fast paced game and showing a lot of promise for the season ahead.