Greens have chance of rapid revenge

GORLESTON travel to fourth-placed-placed FC Clacton tomorrow for a league match following their midweek KO Cup semi-final defeat by that team. Their return league match with Swaffham will be on Tuesday night (March 9) at Emerald Park.

Gorleston 0, FC Clacton 3

THREE goals in six minutes were enough to dump the Greens out of the First Division KO Cup on Tuesday night, writes David Hardy.

Clacton started the stronger as Gorleston struggled to get their game together but only had a few long- range efforts to show for it.

Gorleston grew into the game and had the first shot on target, a 20-yarder from John Bell, after 23 minutes which was straight into keeper Darren Gould's midriff.

The pace of Saturday's hat-trick hero Mitch Forbes then took him between two defenders, but a little nudge as he burst into the box stopped him getting a shot away.

Forbes and Gary Williams then combined well on the left but the ball wouldn't run properly for them to create a chance.

Then came something of a Gorleston collapse.

A 38th-minute cross from the right was turned in at the back post by an unmarked Gregg Heighway.

Three minutes later a superb

30-yarder from Matt Waters just evaded Elliot Pride's hand and landed in the net before an attempted clearance another three minutes on from Sean Blowers clattered into Adam Thurtle and ricocheted into the goal.

Heighway then missed a virtual open goal after Pride had saved low as Clacton looked stronger, sharper and quicker to the ball.

Manager Richard Daniels made early second-half changes, bringing on Kevin Howes and Jamie Stockeld in an attempt to compete with Clacton's physical superiority, and Regan Harman made a welcome return with 15 minutes remaining.

But, despite having most of the possession, Gorleston were unable to break through the visitors' defence.

Whether this will prove a psychological advantage for Clacton before tomorrow's league game remains to be seen.