Hanks goal seals win for Bloaters in Caister trophy match
Caister 2, Great Yarmouth Town XI 3
The Bloaters completed their pre-season programme when they sent a mixed team of first and reserve players to face Caister in the Simon Scott-Greenard Memorial Trophy.
Playing against a fairly brisk wind and the slope of the pitch, the Bloaters had their opponents on the back foot from the opening whistle with Olly McCarthy and Scott Woodcock shots just going wide and Tommy Gardiner having a shot well saved by the home keeper.
Yarmouth’s wide men, Woodcock and Fernando Vide, were causing Caister no end of problems, but poor finishing was keeping the home side in the game.
Then, on 36 minutes, the Bloaters took the lead. Gardiner played a through ball to Mitch Forbes who evaded a desperate lunge by a defender and coolly slotted the ball past the keeper to put Yarmouth 1-0 up.
Four minutes later the Bloaters increased their lead from a free-kick 22 yards from the Caister goal with Sam Jones curling the ball into the top corner.
Despite their dominance and two-goal lead at half-time, the Bloaters should have scored more, with many chances wasted.
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Yarmouth made four changes at the break, which seem to disrupt their rhythm.
As Caister started to control the game in the early stages of the second half, it was no surprise when they reduced the deficit. A mistake in midfield allowed an attacker a free run at goal and the ball was placed wide of Jake Jessup, the visitors’ keeper.
Caister drew level after 60 minutes with a well-worked goal, capitalising on a poor tackle by Daniel Crosby and a shot which gave Jessup no chance of saving.
This prompted the Bloaters into action and they slowly regained control of the game with the main threat coming down the left flank through Vide and Aaron Hanks.
A pass from Vide found Hanks who, with his back to goal, swivelled and sent a powerful shot past the keeper, which gave the Bloaters the winning lead.
Yarmouth squad: J Jessup, M Hearne, S Jones, A Haworth, D Crosby, C Duffy, F Vide, O McCarthy, T Gardiner, M Forbes, S Woodcock, A Hanks, L Crux, L Griggs, M White, A Houghton.
