Hemsby picked up all three points against local rivals South Walsham - but will feel they should have won by a greater margin.

With a late call-off and a no show, Hemsby were lucky to be able to get Mauro Cardoso to play as he is home from university and had an injured manager making up the 14.

The deadlock was broken with the first attack of the game when a great ball from Johnny Howell picked Joe Youngs out inside the area and he finished brilliantly with a first time effort.

The lead should have been doubled in the sixth minute when Grant Osben linked with Kyle Simnett down the right and he cut the ball back for Lewis Stebbings to make space to get a shot away. But Youngs got a touch on the ball as it was going in and the goal was ruled out for offside.

A wind assisted effort from a South Walsham player hit the post before Hemsby went close again when Youngs had an effort cleared off the line.

Considering they were playing against the very strong wind it was the best 45 minutes Hemsby had played for a while and they really should have gone in with at least a three goal advantage.

After creating a number chances Hemsby stretched their lead after the break when, from Simnet’s pinpoint corner, Howell rose highest and powered his header high into the net, giving the keeper no chance.

Confidence was really high now as players used the full width of the pitch and Mikey Grayson and Felix Andrews had the backline totally in check. In the 71st minute Hemsby nearly increased their lead when Jonathon Peirce fired in a free-kick that the keeper managed to just get a hand to. With five minutes left Hemsby got caught out at the back when a long ball held up in the wind and as Goncalves came to meet it, the wind took it away from him and on to the head of a striker and the ball trickled into the net.

Just on the final whistle South Walsham had one last attack and a shot went across the goal with the keeper rooted to the spot, but luckily for the home side it trickled past the far post.

Hemsby certainly deserved the win and will feel it should have been a lot more comfortable and by a bigger margin.

The Norton Peskett man-of-the-match was Felix Andrews.

Hemsby travel to Mattishall Reserves on Saturday (1.30pm kick-off).