Great Yarmouth 1 Long Melford 2

Great Yarmouth Town’s relegation worries increased when they lost a duel in the sun against the side who had started the day two points below them.

With Lee Roots and Chris Holmes unavailable the Bloaters were able to call up Drilon Krasniqi and Theo Sackey-Mensah while Charlie Blake was still suspended. Before the game Jordan Forbes collected the Supporters’ Player of the Year from Martin Baxter.

The visitors could have taken the lead in the eighth minute when skipper Waugh danced through the home defence. Glover managed to save his effort but the ball looped up and was headed over.

Krasniqi was working hard and from his run and cross a Melford defender appeared to stoop and handle the ball in the area but referee Ryan Head waved away all appeals. With the home side furious with the decision the ball broke and Melford mounted a swift counter-attack and the ball was finally bundled in by Bayliss to compound the Bloaters’ misery in the 19th minute.

However, the home side bounced back within two minutes as Sackey-Mensah earned his side a corner and from Ford’s delivery, Krasniqi arrived to power home a header to put the home side level.

The home side made a change at half-time with Joel Glover replacing Sackey-Mensah to bolster the midfield that had endured a tough first half.

With 10 minutes of the second half gone Ally tricked his way past Perfect and Ford came in to challenge but the tricky winger had poked the ball past him and Ford’s challenge completely wiped him out, leaving referee Head to make the easy decision to award a penalty to Melford. Rowe stepped up and placed the ball into the corner of the net to give the visitors the lead.

The home side then began to press the visitors back although they were grateful to skipper Forbes who cleared a header off the line. The home side came close to an equaliser when Sanders did well to keep the ball and crossed for Krasniqi but his header went agonisingly wide.

With the clock past the 90-minute mark Swatman was fouled on the edge of the area. Ford curled his effort around the wall and with the keeper beaten could only watch as his shot cannoned back of the post, just as Head blew the final whistle.

Great Yarmouth: Josh Glover, Urry, Ford, Bartram, Eagleton, Forbes (capt), Sackey-Mensah, Swatman, Krasniqi, Perfect, Sanders. Subs: Grieveson, George, Ager, Joel Glover. Attendance: 146.