An injury-time penalty condemned Gorleston to their third defeat in a row.

The Greens showed one change from the Senior Cup reverse at Thetford the previous week. David Shade dropped to the bench and the returning Kyle Ingram came in for his second club debut.

Gorleston began down the slope and had the majority of the early possession, forcing Steve Fenner into a flying save when Ryan Fuller poked a Connor Ingram pull back goalwards.

They finally got the goal they deserved in the 37th minute. Mitch McKay fired a free-kick into the box where Fuller had got free and he lifted the ball over the keeper and into the net off the underside of the bar.

Two minutes later McKay hit a thumping shot from the edge of the box which the keeper turned wide.

Walsham began the second half strongly but it was Gorleston who were closest to scoring 10 minutes into the half. Kyle Ingram and Joel Watts combined on the left and Kyle’s cross found his brother Connor at the back post. From close range he looked certain to score but somehow the goalkeeper reacted quickly to get the effort up and over the bar.

On the hour, Gorleston had another great chance as Fuller chested the ball to Watts who set Fuller through on goal but a heavy touch made it easy for the keeper.

The equaliser came in the 62nd minute when a free-kick was sent into the box and Jack Brame got a slight touch to turn it goalwards. Peter Lambert could only hook his attempted clearance into the roof of the net, although it was going in anyway.

The Greens suffered another setback in the 68th minute when Angus Mackie picked up a second yellow card for a foul. Danny Camish replaced Fuller with 10 minutes remaining and his pace was causing the Walsham defenders some problems but the hosts were looking dangerous when they went forward.

Connor Ingram had an excellent opportunity to put the 10 men ahead after breaking through on the left but he fired over from 10 yards.

Three minutes into stoppage time a Walsham player went down in the box, the referee pointed to the spot and Brame converted to put his side ahead. Gorleston quickly launched the ball forward and Camish was penalised after a 50/50 challenge and shown a yellow card. Frustration got the better of him as he had words with the referee and a second yellow was shown straightaway.

Gorleston: Parkin, Mackie, K Ingram, Goreham (Ramm), Lambert, Taylor, C Ingram, McKay, Fuller (Camish 79), Cantwell, Watts (Shade 86). Ref: Oliver Morris-Sanders. Attendance: 51.

Gorleston 1 Norwich Utd 0

It was a tough battle at Emerald Park but it was Gorleston who made progress into the League Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday evening.

There was just one change from the side which had lost at Walsham le Willows, with Jackson Ramm replacing Kyle Ingram.

It was a cold, wet night with a strong wind blowing the rain across the pitch and the conditions didn’t help the match, with neither side taking control or creating many chances.

Peter Lambert headed a Ryan Fuller long throw narrowly over before the Planters had their first shot in the 34th minute but Haydn Davis’ effort was always curling away from goal.

Jordan Forbes appeared to be pulled back by the touchline early in the second half but nothing was given and moments later Connor Ingram went down in the penalty area but again no whistle was forthcoming.

Norwich won their first corner in the 61st minute, playing it short and gaining another from which Andy Eastaugh’s header bounced off the top of the bar.

George Parkin made his first save of the match in the 64th minute, palming away a Forbes drive.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 70th minute. An inswinging corner from Connor Ingram on the right was scuffed away by a defender on the line but only as far as Mitch McKay, six yards out, who slotted the ball into the net.

George Watts-Sturrock drilled an effort wide as the Planters piled on the pressure then a defence splitting pass from Fuller sent Watts through at the other end but he sidefooted wide of the far post.

The game then threatened to boil over, with United’s Sam Applegate at the centre of a couple of melees, but only yellow cards were brandished.

Gorleston defended valiantly in the closing stages, putting their bodies on the line and getting blocks in but they should have made it two in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

Fuller rounded the keeper and knocked the ball towards the empty goal but he didn’t hit it with enough power and a defender got back to clear.

Match sponsors were Roger Stanton, Alasdair and Peter Gamble and they gave the Batemans man of the match to Mitch McKay.

Gorleston: Parkin, Mackie, Ramm, McKay, Lambert, Taylor, C Ingram, Goreham, Fuller, Cantwell (K Ingram 90), Watts. Ref: Mark Ames. Attendance: 81.