Two goals in three first half minutes sealed Gorleston’s fate on Saturday.

Stewart Larter made three changes from midweek Kirkley defeat. Out were Harley Clements, Peter Lambert and Jack Garrod while in came Daniel Pinheiro and Elliott Hannant while there was a debut at centre back for Owen French, a former Kirkley player who has signed from Waveney.

Gorleston were under the cosh more or less from the start. although they had the first shot when Ross Gilfedder scuffed well wide.

Casey Phillips then stole in on the Greens’ goal but Taurean Molloy denied him. Mitch McKay had Gorleston’s first shot on target after 13 minutes but the hosts took the lead seven minutes later.

Max York went down under pressure from David Shade and after the referee had pointed to the spot York picked himself up to send Molloy the wrong way.

Three minutes later it was 2-0. Another long throw into the box was too high for Molloy and Phillips arrived to power a header into the net.

Gorleston responded and McKay hit a shot straight to the keeper before Joel Watts forced the home stopper in to a low save.

The Greens were given a chance to get one back after 53 minutes when Gilfedder had his legs taken away in the box and the referee awarded the second penalty of the game.

Luke Knight had saved two penalties in midweek and the Greens have missed more than they’ve scored this season. Kyle Ingram didn’t strike it well and Knight was able to make the save.

Molloy kept out a York header before Ingram hit a shot wide at the other end. Subsitute Jack Cottingham almost got on the end of a low cross but a defender poked the ball away first before Watts played in Gilfedder but his weak shot was turned wide by the keeper’s leg.

Right at the death Ingram, who had already been booked, attempted to block a clearance but arrived late and caught the defender. The referee produced a second yellow, sending Ingram off and ruling him out of the FA Vase match on Saturday.

The defeat was Gorleston’s sixth in a row and stretched their run without a win to nine.

Gorleston: Molloy, Pinheiro, Kounnas, Goreham, Shade, French (Farrow-Blance 76), Ingram, Hannant, Gilfedder, McKay (Cottingham 67), Watts.