Great Yarmouth Town FC by Gerry BrownOPENING wins for the Bloaters' Youth U18 and Reserve teams were important for morale at the club after the first team went down to a sickening last-minute goal at FC Clacton, Yarmouth's fifth consecutive defeat at the Essex club.

Great Yarmouth Town FC by Gerry Brown

OPENING wins for the Bloaters' Youth U18 and Reserve teams were important for morale at the club after the first team went down to a sickening last-minute goal at FC Clacton, Yarmouth's fifth consecutive defeat at the Essex club.

The Youth paraded several new players with others having moved up into adult football and an exciting game was played at Walmer Road on Thursday.

On Saturday morning, the Youth lost 2-1 at a mixed Norwich Academy side. A return match at the Wellesley is planned for later in the season.

The Reserves, assembled in strength for the first time, were able to call on a number of players with past first team experience for their first taste of Ridgeons Reserve football, but it was youth player Jack Deeley and regular reserve Fernando Vide who nabbed the historic first goals.

The first team went down to their first defeat of the season, but had they held on for a point it would have been rough on FC Clacton who threatened throughout but were just lacking in the finish.

Injuries to Alan Darby and Craig Roberts did not help, and Marcus Saunders managed only 65 minutes after feeling unwell. The former two seem unlikely to make this weekend's game but Saunders will be anxious to be fit to face his old colleagues at Lowestoft in the FA Cup at Crown Meadow (ko 3pm).

“I'm looking forward to catching up with my old team-mates,” he said this week. “I think I know a few of the tricks they might get up to, and will inform Mr Tong before the game.

“I'm sure I'll get a good welcome from the fans there too because I was a loyal player there for six seasons and always got on well with them.”

Saunders, a player at Yarmouth before he moved to Lowestoft, was over the moon to have scored the first goal in the 3-1 replay win at Raunds which set up tomorrow's preliminary round tie.

“I don't score many - maybe four for Lowestoft in my time there - and it was also my first for Yarmouth,” he said. “So it was especially sweet. It will be nice to be back on the Meadow pitch, which is always good, and it's a lovely set-up there too. On paper it looks like a home win, but then again football isn't played on paper.”

On Tuesday, the First and Youth teams are both in action. Diss Town visit the Wellesley for a Ridgeons First Division fixture (kick-off 7.45pm) while the U18s go to Dereham Town (kick-off 7.45pm).

This season will see U16s admitted to first team league games for �1 when accompanied by an adult. Accompanied U16s will gain free admission to league games of the reserve and youth teams. Prices for cup games may vary.