Watts and Vide keep Yarmouth Town revival on track

A goal in either half from Joel Watts and Fernando Vide kept Yarmouth's revival in a high gear as they recorded their third Thurlow Nunn Division One win in four games despite going behind in the opening minute.

Watts's low strike – his second of the week – levelled the scoring on 32 minutes after Joe Jackson's 34th second opener.

A counter-attack early in the second half allowed Fernando Vide to curl home his fourth goal of the campaign, writes REBECCA ABBOTT.

Two changes were made to the side beaten by Newmarket at the weekend, Neil McMorran started at rightback while Josh Thomas was given a start in place of Charlie McAra who started on the bench.

It was a far from perfect start for the Bloaters as less than a minute gone Swaffham took the lead, striker Joe Jackson latched onto a low cross from Alex Vincent and turned it across the face of goal and into the bottom corner.

Mitch Forbes hit a free kick inches over the bar before another set piece almost got the Bloaters level.

A Neil McMorran floated free kick – won after Joel Watts was bundled over by Dwayne Hockton – was flicked on by Swaffham defender Will O'Brien, flying inches wide to the far post.

Ashley St John was denied a certain goal on 15 minutes by a last -ditch tackle from Jordan Forbes after Jack Redhead's low drive was parried by Ben Cudden while three minutes later Alex Vincent fired over the bar from 12 yards after a throw fell to the winger.

On 30 minutes Cudden was again called into action, turning Joe Jackson's drive over the crossbar after a powerful run by Alex Vincent.

But Yarmouth's equaliser came two minutes later with another set- piece. Mitch Forbes was bundled to the ground a yard outside of the box by the outstretched leg of Jack Redhead and after picking himself up, Forbes hit the free kick into a crowd of players, the rebound falling for Joel Watts to blast home from 16 yards.

Just as Swaffham took the lead early in the first half, they could have completed the feat in the second half. A Will O'Brien free kick found Joe Jackson in space, his low shot across the face of goal turned round the post by the outstretched hand of Ben Cudden.

From the resulting corner Yarmouth cleared and broke. Josh Thomas found Vide wide on the left side and the winger used his trickery to find space on the edge of the box, enough to curl an effort into the top corner that Swaffham keeper Scott Cruikshank couldn't keep out.

Watts and Forbes combined well on 58 minutes wide on the left but the later hit the side-netting from a tight angle while minutes later Watts fired a grass-cutter from 35 yards inches wide of the post and George Barnden volleyed a difficult chance over the bar from a Joe Bryanton free kick.

Alex Vincent – the main threat Swaffham's side weaved his way past four defenders and curled an effort from 18 yards that Cudden had to turn round the post.

Tom Markham replaced Vide on 87 minutes and almost scored with his first touch of the ball. Forbes crossed early from the right side towards the run of the substitute but Markham side-footed a low effort a ball-width wide. In the second minute of stoppage time a Swaffham corner fell to Dean Miller who flicked his header onto the upright before Alex Vincent bundled the rebound wide.

Yarmouth: Ben Cudden, Neil McMorran (Johnny Jarvis 83), Shaun MacLeod, Callum Jones, Joe Bryanton, Jordan Forbes, Joel Watts, George Barnden, Mitch Forbes, Josh Thomas (Marian Jobbagy 77), Fernando Vide (Tom Markham 87)

Goals: Watts 32, Vide 47

Swaffham: Scott Cruikshank, Dwayne Hockton, Louis Hockton (James Buhlemann 83) Dean Miller, Mathew Parkingson, Will O'Brien, Jack Redhead, Michael Thomson, Ashley St John (Toby Hilliard 60), Alex Vincent, Joe Jackson

Goals: Jackson 1. Bookings: O'Brien 85

Gt Yarmouth Town 2 Newmarket 3

A stoppage-time winner denied the Bloaters a draw in a performance that should have merited a point.

Yarmouth took the lead through Joel Watts midway through the first half, striking a volley home from 18 yards, his first of the campaign.

Luke Butcher turned scorer then provider as Newmarket scored two goals in 10 minutes with Matthew Bonner getting the visitors' second.

Substitute Tom Markham got Yarmouth level with his second goal in as many games, powering a first- time volley past the Newmarket 'keeper.

The Bloaters looked to be heading to a draw but conceded a stoppage time goal from Abdul Shannoh after Yarmouth struggled to deal with a ball in the box.

Four changes were made to the side that brushed aside March Town on Saturday with Fernando Vide returning to the starting line-up with Marian Jobbagy dropping the the bench. Andre Costa made his first start of the season in place of Johnny Jarvis at right back.

The Forbes brothers both started, striker Mitch in place of Tom Markham and defender Jordan in for Iain Mills.

Mike Derbyshire's side were dominant in possession in the opening stages of the first half but had little to show for it until 22 minutes.

A Joe Bryanton free kick was half cleared to Joel Watts who instinctively blasted the ball past Newmarket 'keeper Kevin Bugg.

The visitors could have equalised within minutes of the opener, Aaron Maskell rattled the woodwork after Paul Betson's drive was parried by Yarmouth 'keeper Ben Cudden.

Newmarket came back into the game as the half went on, and could have equalised 10 minutes from the break. David Granger had a header cleared off the line after rising highest to reach a corner.

The game sparked into life in the second half with George Barnden and Joel Watts both having long range drives at the Newmarket goal - the later parried by 'keeper Kevin Bugg but the rebound was cleared before it could find a Yarmouth boot.

Minutes later Watts was again involved, exchanging passes with Fernando Vide before curling an effort from the edge of the box that forced Bugg into a fingertip save before being cleared off the line.

Newmarket equalised against the run of play as a corner fell to Matthew Bonner who had time to loft the ball toward the head of Luke Butcher to nod into the net.

Ben Cudden was then needed to turn an Abdul Shannoh effort on to the bar but the 'keeper could not prevent Newmarket taking the lead.

Luke Butcher's effort from 18 yards was charged down by the Yarmouth defence but they could not prevent the ball falling to Matthew Bonner who poked the ball into the net.

On 76 minutes a change of tactics saw Shaun MacLeod make way for Tom Markham and the substitution had an impact five minutes later.

A good interchange of passes between Vide and Forbes allowed the latter to fire a cross towards the run of Markham. The striker, 18 yards from goal, struck a volley first time with his right boot, powering it past Kevin Bugg in the Newmarket goal.

Both teams had chances to win the game in the closing stages. Joel Watts had a long-range drive turned over the crossbar by Bugg. The resulting corner fell to Mitch Forbes whose header was cleared off the Newmarket line.

Newmarket took the points after Abdul Shannoh's winner in stoppage time, driving the ball home from 12 yards, seconds after Luke Butcher had an effort from a similar distance tipped onto the Yarmouth bar.

Yarmouth: Ben Cudden, Andre Costa (Matthew Borg 62), Shaun MacLeod (Tom Markham 76), Callum Jones, Joe Bryanton, Jordan Forbes, Joel Watts, George Barnden, Mitch Forbes, Charlie McAra (Josh Thomas 76), Fernando Vide

Goals: Watts 22, Markham 81