East coast rivals Great Yarmouth and Gorleston got off to winning starts in the First Division on Saturday. Paul Tong's Yarmouth side hit four goals without reply at Cornard, while their neighbours beat promoted Brantham 3-1 at Emerald Park.

East coast rivals Great Yarmouth and Gorleston got off to winning starts in the First Division on Saturday.

Paul Tong's Yarmouth side hit four goals without reply at Cornard, while their neighbours beat promoted Brantham 3-1 at Emerald Park.

Stewart Roach put the Bloaters ahead on 32 minutes, stabbing the ball home at the near post, at Cornard, but the day belonged to Nick Crawley who grabbed a stunning second-half hat-trick.

Gorleston were behind inside half an hour at home to Brantham, but Ricci Butler equalised and on half-time Steve Taylor converted from close range to put Gorleston ahead, with Butler applying the finishing touches early in the second half.

Diss were beaten 2-0 at fellow promotion favourites Newmarket - former Tangerines skipper opening the scoring on 28 minutes. Robbie Lawrence missed a good chance to level early in the second half, and on 70 minutes Diss cleared a long free-kick only as far as Tony Becks, who fired it back in from 25 yards.

A trio of Norfolk rivals all lost - Swaffham were thumped 4-0 at home by Hadleigh, Downham went down 3-0 at Halstead and Fakenham were beaten 2-1 at Long Melford.

Thetford Town drew 2-2 in a difficult encounter away to a physical Saffron Walden side - but it should have been more.

With only three players left from last year it was a new-look Thetford who went ahead through Craig Skipp. The hosts levelled before the break, but Thetford were ahead again early in the second half through Greg Devlin, only to be pegged back again, despite efforts from Kam Senior, later sent off for retaliation, and Skipp which hit the woodwork.