Clacton Town 1, Great Yarmouth Town 0DESPITE a good return match by goalkeeper Michael Hilton, fit again after his pre-season injury, even his athleticism was unable to keep an eager Clacton side out for the whole game - and the home side celebrated a last-gasp winner.

Clacton Town 1, Great Yarmouth Town 0

DESPITE a good return match by goalkeeper Michael Hilton, fit again after his pre-season injury, even his athleticism was unable to keep an eager Clacton side out for the whole game - and the home side celebrated a last-gasp winner.

“We just weren't at the races,” declared a disappointed Paul Tong, the Yarmouth manager, after watching his side defend for long periods of the game. “It was nothing more than they deserved, though. We only had two real chances, and just didn't work their keeper.”

Clacton were profligate with their many openings and the home crowd despaired of seeing their team score. But they did, two minutes into added time, when Mark White beat Hilton to a cross and slipped the ball over Hilton's head into the top corner.

The conditions played a part and Clacton adapted better. Yarmouth were often hurried into huge clearances that came straight back at them, and they could not get their passing game going.

“It's early days yet, and its not how you start the season it's how you finish,” said Tong. “But we need to start getting some more points on the board. There will be tougher games than this so we'll have to dig in and be patient.

“We did pick up a couple of knocks and Marcus Saunders was feeling ill but he stayed on for an hour or so. It was very disappointing, especially after having played so well in midweek. It's all a bit of a roller coaster ride at the moment.”

The two chances Tong referred to were a Jake Reed shot that hit the bar, having beaten keeper Darren Gould on the stroke of half-time, and substitute Liam Bartley losing out in a one-on-one with Gould in the second half.

Hilton was the saviour on several occasions.On 18 minutes his dive diverted a goal-bound shot for a corner; in the second half he raced out of his area to successfully challenge a Clacton striker, and he then made a tremendous save at the expense of a corner, tipping a shot over the bar; on 81 minutes he saved what looked a certain goal with his feet. Also encouraging was the continued development of Reed who is beginning to put steel with his undoubted ability.

But until the team can get some consistency into their games, the season will continue to be like a trip on that certain seafront attraction!

Yarmouth Town: M Hilton, A Darby, O Savage, C Roberts, A Ager, M Saunders (B Junior 65), A Sewell, M Magee (S Roach 79), J Reed, S Woodcock (L Bartley 59), D Smith. Unused sub: V Formoso.

Debenham LC Reserves 1, Great Yarmouth Town Reserves 2

A STRONG-LOOKING Reserves side visited the Leisure Centre last Saturday for their first-ever Ridgeons Reserve League fixture and came away with all three points.

Second-half goals from Jack Deeley and Fernando Vide turned the game.

“Due to problems of availability in the summer, it was actually the first time we were able to get all the lads together,” said assistant manager Andy Deeley. “So they did very well, and the spirit and commitment in the squad was exceptional.”

Yarmouth dominated the first half and hit the bar and post. Gareth Palmer performed particularly well in defence while George Brooks and Jack Deeley, both of whom were involved in the morning's Youth game at Norwich Academy, were also prominent.

Against the run of play, the second half saw Debenham soon take a 1-0 lead with a lobbed effort over Blaine Lowthorpe in goal. But when a Mark Thompson shot was only parried, Deeley followed up to equalise.

The winning goal came after pressure from new Youth centre-forward Adam Blanch forced a weak clearance from the home keeper and Vide followed up to score.

Reserves: B Lowthorpe, J Bell, S Watts, T Gorbould, J Miller, J Deeley, G Palmer, G Brooks, M Thompson, F Vide, L Greening, C McAra, L Crux, A Blanch, A Formoso (n/u).