A late equaliser from David Shade gave Gorleston their first point in nine games and left neighbours Great Yarmouth Town on the precipice of relegation.
Stewart Larter made two changes from the narrow defeat at Godmanchester. Cameron Wing started in place of Danny Camish and Peter Lambert came in for David Shade, who dropped to the bench.
The Bloaters arrived at Emerald Park buoyed by the return of Lee Roots, Charlie Blake and Joel Glover.
The visitors came into the match in desperate need of three points and that showed in the first half, looking sharper and more up for it, and it was the visitors who drew first blood after just eight minutes.
A long throw from Josh Ford into the Gorleston area saw an initial shot blocked, the ball wasn’t cleared and it fell to Ray Urry to bury from close range.
Six minutes later, a long ball over the top caught out the Greens’ defence but keeper Connor Milligan denied Glover who had got in behind.
Another Ford long throw wasn’t cleared properly, midway through the half, and this time Milligan pushed away Glover’s effort. Two minutes later Milligan reacted to turn away another Yarmouth effort from a free kick.
Gorleston finally had a spell of pressure. A 32nd minute Wing free kick was floated onto the head of Peter Lambert but he couldn’t keep his header down. A minute later, Connor Ingram broke through on the left but fired into the side-netting and then Ingram hit a free-kick which the keeper saved low down.
A nice move in the 53rd minute saw Joel Watts find Ingram. He laid the ball back to Jordan Cantwell on the edge of the box but his sidefooted effort was too high.
Payton Swatman hit an effort into the ground which reared up and Milligan was forced to tip the ball over the bar before Yarmouth should have doubled their lead on the hour.
Another long throw into the box was flicked on and found Aaron Sanders free at the back post but he fired over.
The Greens made a change with Angus Mackie going on in central midfield, allowing Lambert to go up front, and the Greens looked better for it but were still struggling to break down a resolute defence.
Mackie tried his luck with a thumping effort from 25 yards but it was straight at the keeper, then Lambert almost got his head to a cross but appeared to be shoved under the ball.
The equaliser arrived in the 85th minute. Ingram’s corner from the right was met by the head of substitute Shade and he nodded the ball firmly into the goal.
There was another big shout for a Gorleston penalty, which was ignored, before the Greens almost grabbed a winner in the third minute of stoppage time when Watts cut in onto his right foot and hit a great shot which thudded against the crossbar.
The final chance came for the Bloaters in added time as Sean Perfect spun away from his marker and set the ball to Payton Swatman who fired in a shot wide off the target to keep the scores level, as Mr Quick blew his whistle for full time, to end another frustrating afternoon for the Bloaters.
Match sponsor was Bycrofts Estate Agent and they awarded the Batemans man of the match to Luke Goreham.
Gorleston: Connor Milligan, Daniel Pinheiro, Brady Philpott, Luke Goreham, Isaac Burrage (David Shade 65), Aarron Taylor (capt), Cameron Wing (Angus Mackie 59), Peter Lambert, Connor Ingram, Jordan Cantwell (Logan Lonergan 70), Joel Watts. Booking: Pinheiro 38. Goal: Shade 85.
Great Yarmouth: Josh Glover, Ray Urry, Josh Ford, Charlie Bartram, Cain Eagleton, Jordan Forbes (capt), Payton Swatman, Charlie Blake, Joel Glover, Drillon Krasniqi, Aaron Sanders. Bookings: Swatman 70, Roots 90+3. Goal: Urry 8.
Ref: Paul Quick. Attendance: 338.
Godmanchester Rovers 4
Gorleston 3
A Joel Watts inspired fightback, against a side chasing the runners-up spot, came to nothing as first half defensive errors cost the Greens.
Stewart Larter made six changes to the side that lost last time out away at Clacton. Connor Milligan returned to replace Peter Murphy in goal while Dan Pinheiro, David Shade, Danny Camish, Isaac Burrage and Jordan Cantwell also came in.
Gorleston fell behind after just five minutes. A cross from the left found Harrison Radwell. Milligan reacted well to try and keep Radwell’s effort out but the ball had crept over the line.
The Greens finally tested the home keeper midway through the half when he wasn’t able to hold on to a Connor Ingram drive but grabbed the ball at the second attempt.
Gorleston had grown into the game and finally the pressure paid off in the 40th minute when Watts’ effort from 20 yards found the bottom corner.
However, they were on level terms for just two minutes. After neither team could get control of the ball, the hosts got hold of it, sending Michael Hyem on to a through pass and he dinked it over Milligan.
Three minutes later it was 3-1 when a free-kick found Jack Chandler for a simple tap-in.
With 18 minutes left, Gorleston grabbed a goal back. Cameron Barnes struck a fierce effort which the keeper couldn’t hold and Watts followed up to bury the loose ball. This was Watts 50th league goal for Gorleston and his 62nd in all competitions.
Three minutes later Watts caused problems in the home defence again and poked the ball goalwards but it trickled inches past the post. But the equaliser did arrive in the 77th minute. A cross found Watts at the back post who took a touch and then struck his shot into the bottom corner of the net to complete his hat trick and make it 3-3.
Unfortunately Gorleston could only maintain parity for two minutes as a high ball into the box found Harvey Garlugio who volleyed home, giving Milligan no chance.
Cameron Wing hit a shot which Watts couldn’t divert on target before Ingram broke but his shot went across the face of goal.
Gorleston have now completed their away fixtures and conceded 46 goals in the process, the fourth worst in the league.
Gorleston: Milligan, Pinheiro, Philpott, Goreham, Shade, Taylor (capt), Camish, Burrage, Ingram, Cantwell, Watts. Used subs: Barnes, Wing, Lonergan.
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