Great Yarmouth Town v Framlingham Town. Saturday 9th March 2024. Report by Martin Baxter.
On a glorious early spring day the “league leaders were in town” as Yarmouth hosted top of the table Framlingham in a much anticipated 1st v 2nd clash of the best two sides in the league.
This was the third meeting between these 2 clubs this season and both previous matches ended all square after 90 minutes and this fixture was just as difficult to call.
The Bloaters made several changes from the previous Saturdays win at Swaffham with Philpott replacing the suspended Barnes at centre back and Jacobs came in at left back and they also opted to play with an extra man in midfield in Cantwell and therefore Sanders was named amongst the substitutes.
The game started in understandably cagey fashion with so much at stake and markers were being set with a couple of flying tackles going in from both sides and Read had the first shot at goal when he tested Yarmouth keeper Ling with a long range effort that went a yard wide, and the Castlemen began to settle into their passing and possession game which has been so very successful for them this season.
Yarmouth seemed happy to play in a “David Moyes style” letting the opposition keep the ball until they got into the final third and then closing them down and looking to counter attack with the pace and power of Belmar and Duffiled.
Read who was looking a real handful then tested keeper Ling with a volley following a corner which the young keeper did well to turn over the bar for another corner. Jacobs then had the first opportunity for the home side in the 10th minute but his shot went straight into the arms of keeper Cummings.
As they were playing so deep Yarmouth were finding it difficult to create any clear cut chances, however in the 25th minute a Duffiled cross from the right missed the outstretched foot of Belmar waiting in the 6 yard by a matter of inches and gradually they were getting a foothold in this match after being 2nd best for the first 25 minutes or so, and it looked as if they had been possibly showing their opposition a little too much respect and they finally started to take the game to them.
In the 35th minute following an extremely long range throw in from Norman the ball was met by the head of Willett who’s effort was superbly saved once again by Ling in the Yarmouth goal to keep it at 0-0 and 1 minute later a Belmar corner was met at the back post by Duffield who’s flick at goal went a fraction wide and both sides then went in at the break all square.
Half time: Great Yarmouth Town 0 Framlingham Town 0.
The 2nd half began with Yarmouth winning a free kick on the right hand side of the box and Duffiled floated the ball into the danger zone and Barber reacted first to tap the ball just over the line before it was cleared back into play by a Framlingham defender, and the match officials after a consultation awarded Yarmouth the goal and they went 1-0 up, and 2 Framlingham players were then yellow carded for their protests at the goal being allowed to stand.
The away side then went on the offensive to try and pull level and Read surged though the middle of the Yarmouth defence on a great run but was once again foiled by a superb stop by Ling and on the hour mark the Bloaters keeper was called into action once again turning a volley from Lucaft over the bar and from the subsequent corner a Lucraft header was cleared off of the line by Adams and the Bloaters were defending magnificently to keep them at bay.
On 70 minutes Sanders came on for Cantwell and the Castlemen were causing Yarmouth real problems with their long throw in specialist Norman who was taking every throw in at every opportunity and each one was sailed high into the danger zone and from one of these “Norman specials” the ball was headed towards goal by Kerridge and missed the target by a matter of inches.
In the 82nd minute Melo came on for Belmar as the home side looked to see the game out for a crucial 3 points, which were finally sealed deep into stoppage time when Duffiled picked the ball up on the edge of the box and took it past 3 defenders before unleashing an unstoppable bullet of a shot into the roof of the net to make it 2-0, sending the watching 300 plus crowd into wild celebrations not seen at the Wellesley for many years!
Full Time: Great Yarmouth Town 2 Framlingham Town 0. Attendance: 307.
GYTFC: Ling, Halliday, Jacobs, Wilson-Towns, Philpott, Adams, Duffiled, Barber, Couzens, Cantwell, Belmar. Subs: Perry, Spooner, Sanders, Fenn, Melo.
Joint Man of the match: Brandon Ling and Sam Adams,
