The Town's Ridgeons teams enter the FA Cup this week, along with 760 other entries, as the extra-preliminary round gets under way.It is a sure thing that neither Great Yarmouth Town nor Gorleston, who visit Cornard, will feature in the later big-money rounds, but nevertheless the financial rewards for success in these early stages are still significant to the smaller clubs, writes Gerry Brown.

The Town's Ridgeons teams enter the FA Cup this week, along with 760 other entries, as the extra-preliminary round gets under way.

It is a sure thing that neither Great Yarmouth Town nor Gorleston, who visit Cornard, will feature in the later big-money rounds, but nevertheless the financial rewards for success in these early stages are still significant to the smaller clubs, writes Gerry Brown.

Great Yarmouth are favoured with a home tie tomorrow, against Raunds Town from Northamptonshire. The Shopmates will prove a tough test as they play in the United Counties Premier Division, equivalent to the Ridgeons Premier, but they slipped up in their opening league match last Saturday, losing 3-1 at home to Rothwell Corinthians, their first-ever away win in that division.

The match kicks off at Wellesley Road at 3pm, and admission is �4 adults, �2 seniors and children. If a replay is needed it will take place in Raunds on Tuesday at 7.45pm.

The prize for the victors, apart from the cash, is a tie at Lowestoft Town on August 29 so all the more incentive for Yarmouth to progress.

The Bloaters 3-1 win at Ipswich Wanderers on Saturday was followed by a 2-2 draw at Diss on Tuesday.

Diss Town 2, Great Yarmouth Town 2

Four points from the opening two games, both away from home and one against your bogey team, would be enough to satisfy most managers. But on Tuesday, after Yarmouth twice conceded goals having taken the lead, Yarmouth boss Paul Tong thought his team rather threw it away with some inadequate defending. However, he did concede that Diss could have taken all three points as they hit the goal frame three times.

On a bowling green surface compared to Saturday's, Yarmouth took an early lead. Scott Woodcock ran down the right, centred, and Stewart Roach headed to finish perfectly.

The equaliser came nine minutes later. Jake Burton at the far post blasted home a cross from the left. Yarmouth's marking was for once found wanting.

Both teams showed great skill on the ball and tried to play thoughtful football. In the 39th minute a Diss corner came off the face of the bar and Junior Bernardo cleared the ball off the line.

The pace hotted up even more after the break. Martyn Magee and Dominic Smith had shots for Yarmouth before Burton waltzed through the Bloaters' defence but hit his shot against the near post.

Yarmouth regained the lead in the 75th minute, Woodcock and Roach supplying the ball to Jake Reed at the far post where the youngster beat his marker to stab home from two yards.

Diss replacement Xavier Huckle restored parity seven minutes from the end, and with a further shot hitting the post, Yarmouth were under some late pressure. They could have snatched all the points but an 89th minute header from Ager looped wide.

Yarmouth: S Lewis, J Bernardo, O Savage, D Smith, A Ager (c), M Saunders, S Woodcock (A Darby 77), M Magee, S Roach (L Bartley 80), J Reed, A Sewell (V Formoso 57). Unused subs: T Gorbould, C Roberts.

Ipswich Wanderers 1, Great Yarmouth Town 3

Last season, Great Yarmouth were the best away team in their division. If they continue to play like they did last Saturday, they could well repeat the feat.

Adey Ager and Marcus Saunders were equal to all Wanderers' bluster, and new goalkeeper signing Stephen Lewis used all his experience when anything got through.

On the stroke of half-time new Portuguese player Vida Formoso sent a pass through the middle for Jake Reed to run onto and despite the attentions of a tracking defender, he finish coolly past the advancing keeper.

Not 30 seconds into the second half Reed doubled his tally. Strike partner Roach supplied the headed pass to the left for Reed to drive into the area and score.

Wanderers converted a penalty in the 80th minute, their only shot on target in the second half.

However, Yarmouth immediately restored the two-goal cushion when captain Ager powered home a far-post header from a Woodcock corner.

“The pitch was poor and they gave us a tough game,” said manager Paul Tong. “But we got the breaks at the right time. Great credit to Jake for the way he took his goals - he belied his tender years to finish very coolly.

“Roachy broke a bone in his foot in the summer so we're very pleased he is back and showing why he is an invaluable part of the team. But we've got a great team spirit throughout, and there's high potential in the young lads who play for us. However, one swallow doesn't make a summer - or a season - and we have a tough month of fixtures ahead of us. But it's so far, so good.”

Yarmouth: S Lewis, J Bernardo, A Sewell, D Smith, A Ager (c), M Saunders, V Formoso (T Gorbould 82), M Magee, S Roach, J Reed (L Bartley 75), M Thompson (S Woodcock 46). Unused subs: B Hill, A Formoso.