Great Yarmouth Town v Long Melford. Saturday 27th July 2024. Report by Martin Baxter.
Newly promoted Great Yarmouth Town began their new season back in the Thurlow Nunn Premier league with a home match against Long Melford.
After struggling in the bottom two for most of last season, Melford finished their campaign very strongly, only losing one of their last 6 matches to finish in a comfortable 15th position and they arrived at the Wellesley with a new management team of Liam Joyce and Aaron Knivett.
Deeks was in the starting line up for his first senior appearance in a Yarmouth shirt in 8 years and new signings Cooper, Mc Queen and Jake Spooner were all named amongst the substitutes.
The game kicked off and for the first 10 minutes or so it was very cagey with both sides understandably feeling each other out and the first sight at goal came in the 12th minute when Melford’s centre back Lazar hit a long range effort that went 2 yards over the bar and in the 26th minute Brown hit a curving volley from 15 yards out that Ling in the Yarmouth goal dealt with comfortably.
The Bloaters had their first opportunity on the half-hour mark when a Belmar corner was met by the head of Fenn at the near post, but his effort went just over the woodwork. However it was proving difficult for the home side to get any real momentum in the attacking areas as the Melford defenders were very physical with a series of late challenges, which effected the flow of the game and resulted in them picking up 2 yellow cards and it could really have been more.
However on 44 minutes the breakthrough finally came when following a Belmar free kick close to the right hand corner flag, Deeks rose highest and headed the ball home to make it 1-0 to the Bloaters and just before half-time Halliday almost made it 2-0 with a speculative effort from fully 25 yards out that missed the target by inches.
Half-Time: Great Yarmouth Town 1 Long Melford 0.
The 2nd period started and if it was not bad enough for Melford to concede a goal just before half time it got even worse for them in the 47th minute when a quickly taken free kick by Belmar on the edge of the box was palmed out by keeper Walker straight to Couzens, who clinically put the ball into the net from close range to make it 2-0.
Just 10 minutes later it was almost 3-0 and game over when a Duffield cross from the right was met by Barber, however his header from point blank range was superbly stopped by keeper Walker and Yarmouth were now firmly in control of this encounter.
On the hour mark new signing Jake Spooner came off the bench to make his debut and 10 minutes later Wilson-Towns was sinned binned for dissent after not being happy with a free kick being awarded against him and the visitors were given a lifeline back in this match for the next 10 minutes.
Leo Spooner and the returning Brad Mc Queen then came off the bench in the 75th minute to add some fresh legs to a side that had worked extremely hard in very warm conditions and in the 82nd minute Gibbs had a powerful drive from 15 yards out brilliantly turned over the bar by Ling to make sure his side kept a clean sheet and promising youngster Sacramento came off the bench for the last 5 minutes or so.
The referee then blew for full time and Yarmouth started the new season with an excellent home win.
Full Time: Great Yarmouth Town 2 Long Melford 0. Attendance: 231.
GYTFC: Ling, Halliday, Belmar, Wilson-Towns, Deeks, Adams, Duffield, Jacobs, Couzens, Barber, Fenn. Subs: Cooper, L. Spooner, Sacramento, Mc Queen, J. Spooner.
Man of the match: Connor Deeks. ( Gave the back line a real solid look and won all of his 50/50 challenges and capped it off with a well taken goal)
