Gorleston complete derby double over Great Yarmouth

After five defeats in a row Gorleston bounced back to do the double over neighbours Great Yarmouth Town at Emerald Park on Monday.

The Greens followed up their 3-1 success at The Wellesley on Boxing Day with 3-0 win this time around to get their campaign back on track after a poor run of results.

With just 10 minutes gone, Connor Ingram got past the last defender and was bearing down on goalkeeper Elvijs Putnins when he was fouled by Kyle Howell.

The referee awarded a free-kick just outside the box and didn’t really have any option but to show the red card to Howell, as the last man with Ingram through.

Kyle Baker hit the free-kick low around the wall into the keeper’s arms. However, Putnins couldn’t hold it and Ingram reacted quickest to prod the ball home from close range.

The half became tetchy as expected in a derby and, luckily for Gorleston, the visitors couldn’t make the most of the set-pieces and efforts were off target, as were Baker and Watts at the other end.

Baker did bring a flying save out of Putnins eight minutes before the break and a Sean Perfect free-kick at the other end went straight to Taurean Molloy as chances were at a premium.

At half-time there was a presentation made to the club of a new defibrillator by the family of John Bailey, the supporter who died of a heart attack during the FA Vase match with Basildon.

Five minutes into the second half, George Yusuff fouled Cruise Nydazayo five yards outside the area as he looked to break past him. Hayden Davis hit the free-kick well but Molloy pulled off a good save.

Yarmouth had to press forward allowing Gorleston to play on the break.

Ingram almost got through on goal but Putnins raced out of his box to clear and Yusuff was probably fortunate not to receive a second yellow card as the game reached boiling point.

Credit to Yarmouth, you wouldn’t have known they had 10 men, but as the half wore on they didn’t really threaten Molloy’s goal and the Greens began to look most likely to increase their lead.

With nine minutes remaining Gorleston finally got their second of the match.

Joel Watts fed Ingram in the box who drilled the ball low across goal. A defender could only divert it to Jacob Short and his low shot took a deflection to wrong-foot Putnins and find the net.

Four minutes later the game was made safe.

Nice play put Watts in on the left. His shot bounced down off the crossbar and fell to Luke Goreham, following up, who made no mistake.

Match sponsors were Charles Bycroft Estate Agent, with match ball sponsors Brasteds, and they awarded the Batemans man-of-the-match to Goreham.

From Yarmouth’s point of view this was a bad defeat, with their local rivals the only team this season to do the double over them.

However they felt the scoreline flattered the Greens. The Bloaters had some luck against Stanway on Saturday and had no luck whatsoever in this match, against a well-drilled and organised Gorleston side. The Greens took their chances well and the Bloaters, despite working their socks off, were unable to cause too many problems for the home keeper.

Gorleston: Molloy, Clements, Hunn (Wise 60), Short, Yusuff (Burrage 65), Taylor, Goreham, Oldham, Baker, Ingram (King 85), Watts.

Goals: C Ingram 13; Short 81; Goreham 85.

Great Yarmouth: Putnins, Swatman, Armes (Holmes 78), Bartram (Ford 15), Ager, Howell, Nydazayo, Applegate (Jones 76), Forbes, Davis, Perfect.

Ref: Ryan Head.

Attendance: 385.