Gorleston face Cambridge examination

CRC currently lie two places above the Greens in the Ridgeons Premier, ahead by one point but having played two games more.

The Cambridge side have lost their last two games, going out of the League Cup and FA Vase in the process, but prior to that they enjoyed a home victory over Dereham Town.

Earlier this season CRC visited the Wellesley, where they won 2-0 in former Greens’ assistant Mike Derbyshire’s first view of the Bloaters after taking over.

Gorleston 3, Dereham Town 0

Gorleston gained revenge for their defeat at Dereham two weeks earlier.

Kyle Howell returned at right back with Tarren Grint dropping to the bench, Gary Williams started in place of Bradley Hough and John Bell got a starting place for the injured Steve Taylor.

Both teams were trying to play passing football, with Dereham keeping the ball better than the Greens, and the game began at a great pace, writes David Hardy.

It was Gorleston who created the first half chance after Williams had harried the full back into a mistake and Liam Harvey-Cooper almost charged down the clearance from Dereham keeper Shaun Marshall.

Elliot Pride was the first keeper to have to make a save, midway through the half, before Marshall had an easy save from Harvey-Cooper’s shot at the other end.

Manager Richard Daniels was forced to make a change after half an hour when Bell limped off to be replaced by Aaron Huggins-Bowers.

The Greens opened the scoring a minute before half time when a speculative Andy Howell effort from 35 yards deceived Magpies keeper Marshall with a late swerve and found the back of the net.

Five minutes into the second half they increased their lead when Chris Sandford was sent away on the left. He pulled the ball back towards the edge of the box where Harvey-Cooper was waiting to side foot in.

Harvey-Cooper hit another effort over before Pride preserved the two goal lead when he saved a Gary Starling free kick.

Gorleston finished the game off in the 70th minute with almost a carbon copy goal. Sandford again pulled the ball back from the left, Williams helped it on to Harvey-Cooper, who again found the net.

Harvey-Cooper almost completed his hat trick in the dying moments but he couldn’t quite connect with a cross.

Team: Elliot Pride, Kyle Howell, Reece Hunn, Andy Howell, Adam Thurtle, Eddie Thompson, Chris Sandford, John Bell (Aaron Huggins-Bowers 30), Ali McKenna (Bradley Hough 83), Gary Williams (Scott Woodgate 75), Liam Harvey-Cooper

Prior to Tuesday night’s Ridgeons Premier League game against Dereham Town, Gorleston Football Club were proud to present a cheque to Norwich City legend Jeremy Goss.

The money was raised by a bucket collection at the recent Gorleston v Norwich City pre-season friendly.

The cheque for �250 will go with the money raised by Goss’s recent 1300 mile Cycle Challenge ‘Back to Bayern’ in aid of the Norfolk & Norwich Association for the Blind. The presentation was made to Jeremy by Gorleston manager Richard Daniels.

Gorleston 2, Mildenhall Town 4

Gorleston bowed out of the FA Vase at their first hurdle in this years competition.

The Greens team sheet showed two changes to the side which lost in the FA Cup the week before, with Tarren Grint replacing Remy Gordon and Liam Harvey-Cooper starting in place of the injured Richard Woodrow.

Gorleston started the game well. Liam Harvey-Cooper had the first shot that worried a goalkeeper but his effort was wide and then Chris Sandford charged down a defender’s attempted clearance but his shot was blocked and went through to the keeper.

Then Harvey-Cooper beat his full back with ease and crossed to Ali McKenna but his effort was blocked at source.

The opening goal came after 23 minutes. Steve Taylor laid the ball wide to Grint whose cross eventually found McKenna close in to fire it home.

However, the lead lasted barely three minutes.

A long ball caught out the Greens defence and found Andrew Wood. He outmuscled Adam Thurtle, rounded Elliot Pride and knocked the ball into the empty goal.

A Josh Turner cross hit Steve Holder in the midriff and went wide as Mildenhall threatened and they then picked up two yellow cards in quick succession, the second of which could easily have been a straight red for a high, two-footed lunge on Taylor, which left him in need of treatment and eventually to his substitution at half time.

Gorleston ended the half keeping possession well but it was Mildenhall who started the second half on top.

An early grass cutter free kick was never troubled Pride and he easily held a corner under pressure.

Harvey-Cooper nodded the ball into the path of McKenna but he hit his shot high over the bar. Then Grint broke quickly from a Mildenhall attack and fed Harvey-Cooper. Harvey-Cooper cut in showing good, quick feet and hit a shot which beat the keeper but rebounded away off the outside of the post.

Both teams were working hard at this point, Gorleston with plenty of possession though Hall were closing them down quickly, but the game just seemed to be missing a spark.

A Mildenhall defender almost scored in his own net, with his own keeper saving low down and then Andy Howell outwitted another defender but his shot went straight to the keeper. After 74 minutes Grint was slow into a challenge inside the box and tripped a Mildenhall player, the referee having no option but to point to the spot. Owen Paynter confidently despatched the spot kick to put his side ahead.

Five minutes later the Greens equalised. Harvey-Cooper found Sandford on the edge of the six yard box, he poked the ball across goal to the waiting McKenna who fired home.

The game moved into thirty minutes extra time with Mildenhall going back in front after just four minutes of the extra period.

A deep cross eluded defenders in the middle of the goal but struck the unfortunate Reece Hunn, the deflection taking it past the despairing dive of Pride and into the goal.

Gorleston responded well with McKenna having a chance blocked and then Hunn, trying to make amends for his misfortune, went on a mazy run but was denied by the keeper at his feet.

Six minutes into the second half of extra time came the killer goal with James Paterson hitting a shot that thumped against the post but rebounded straight back to the same player, who this time struck it in.

Gorleston were left wondering how they hadn’t won a game where they had lots of possession and a number of chances.

Team: Elliot Pride, Tarren Grint (Gary Williams 108), Reece Hunn, Andy Howell, Adam Thurtle, Eddie Thompson, Chris Sandford, Bradley Hough (Scott Woodgate 74), Ali McKenna, Steve Taylor (John Bell 46), Liam Harvey-Cooper

Needham Market Reserves 2, Gorleston Reserves 0

The Reserves 100% start to the season ended last week when they were beaten by leaders Needham Market Reserves.

Their midweek game at Dereham Reserves was postponed because Dereham had a number of players unavailable as they were playing for Norfolk.

Tomorrow (Saturday) the Reserves are at Emerald Park hoping to get back to winning ways when they entertain Whitton Reserves, who are currently bottom of the table.

Gorleston U18 2 Ipswich Wanderers U18 1 aet

Gorleston progressed into the second round of the FA Youth Cup last week.

The young Greens began well and created several chances but found the Ipswich keeper in fine form. This continued for most of the first half and well into the second period.

The second half was more of an end to end affair but neither team was able to hit the net. With both teams tiring the match went into extra time.

Five minutes after the start Keegan Middleton broke the deadlock with a well taken effort from the edge of the box.

Wanderers kept pushing forward and were rewarded with an equaliser with ten minutes to go.

Substitute Callum Ingram nearly capped his debut with a goal but again the Ipswich goalkeeper saved his team with a finger tip save from his goal bound effort.

With penalties looming Joe Larter burst down the right, beat the full back, and his deep cross was met by Keegan Middleton who sent Gorleston through to the next round with a fine finish.

They now face a tough trip to play Dereham in the second round, in a game being played on Tuesday, October 4.

Team: L Ayres, J Allen, K Ingram, D Moughton (J Larter), J Clements, J Armes (J Miller), J Roberts, D Pretlove, A King, (C Ingram), K Middleton, S Johnson; S Antcliffe.