Gorleston picked up their second away win on the bounce despite playing with only 10 men for an hour.

There was just one change from the victory at Brantham with Connor Milligan returning in goal and Peter Murphy dropping to the bench.

The home side began strongly but the game soon settled and Gorleston took the lead in the 29th minute. Some quality football put Joel Watts away on the right who cut in and the ball was cleared back to Peter Lambert. Lambert’s low pass back into the edge of the box picked out Watts again who, in one movement, turned and shot into the bottom corner.

A 59th Greens goal was a fitting way for Watts to celebrate his 200th Gorleston appearance.

Wroxham should have equalised five minutes later when Sonny Carey managed to hit the bar from close range but the game looked as if it had swung in home side’s favour with 37 minutes gone. Angus Mackie lunged into a challenge and caught Nathan Stewart high from behind with studs showing and the referee produced a straight red card for the full back.

During the five minutes of first half stoppage time Isaac Burrage saw a header cleared off the line at one end and Carey went down under pressure from Aarron Taylor in the Gorleston box, but the referee waved away penalty appeals.

Seven minutes into the second half Gorleston gave themselves some breathing space. Playing out from the back through Jackson Ramm and Cameron Barnes, who was immense throughout the match, helped the ball on to Watts who hit a pass forward for Connor Ingram. A defender misjudged it and Ingram ran on and tucked the ball away neatly.

Milligan kept his side two up with a great low reflex save following a corner and in the 78th minute it was virtually game over. Watts floated over a free-kick from the right and Lambert headed down and into the goal. He is now just four away from his century of Gorleston goals.

Wroxham pulled one back with six minutes remaining when Stewart shot into the roof of the net from a narrow angle. It was then backs to the wall for the 10 men for the remainder of the 90 minutes plus the five minutes stoppage time but they dug in well to see the game out.

Gorleston: Milligan, Ramm. Mackie, Lambert, Burrage, Taylor, Barnes, Pinheiro, C Ingram (Gilfedder 58), Cantwell (Allen 90+1), Watts (Goreham 81).

Referee: Ady Sannerude. Attendance: 201.

Histon 1 Gorleston 0

Gorleston gave a good account of themselves at league leaders Histon on Tuesday evening before losing to an 89th minute goal.

Gorleston made two changes from the side that had beaten Wroxham with Luke Goreham and Danny Camish replacing Jackson Ramm and Connor Ingram.

Histon took the lead in the 18th minute when a free-kick was headed back across goal and Dan Brown turned it in.

Angus Mackie shot wide before Greens keeper Connor Milligan produced a point blank save to keep the half-time score at 1-0.

Gorleston equalised in the 65th minute thanks to a superbly struck free-kick from substitute Mitch McKay, who had only been on the pitch seven minutes.

It seemed as if Gorleston would earn an excellent point but, in the last minute, a Histon corner was headed in by Max York to give the leaders all three points and stretch their lead at the top to seven points.

Team: Milligan, Mackie, Goreham, Lambert, Burrage, Taylor (c), Barnes (McKay 65), Pinheiro, Camish, Cantwell, Watts.

Gorleston Reserves maintained their promotion push in Division Two of the Anglian Combination with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Caister Reserves at Emerald Park, with Keegan Middleton scoring the only goal. They have a dress rehearsal for their Junior Cup final when they visit Sprowston Athletic tomorrow for a top of the table clash. Sprowston are seven points ahead of second-placed Gorleston, but the Greens have a game in hand.

Next Thursday Gorleston Under 18s play Bungay Town at Emerald Park, kick-off 7.45pm.