Yarmouth Town 1 Saffron Walden 1

Johnny Jarvis helped Yarmouth secure a draw against Thurlow Nunn new boys Saffron Walden Town with his first goal of the season.

Jarvis’s strike in first half stoppage time equalised the scoring after Nathan Cox had given Saffron the lead on five minutes.

Three changes were made to the side that lost at Downham Town last Saturday.

New signing Robin Andersen made his debut in place of Neil McMorran after joining from Norwich United

A groin problem kept Fernando Vide out of the side, with Johnny Jarvis starting in place of the left winger.

On the right wing Josh Thomas replaced Charlie McAra, who started on the bench, writes REBECCA ABBOTT.

On five minutes Saffron took the lead, Nathan Cox swept the home from six yards after Charlie Davies’ header from a Peter Davies cross fell to the striker.

Charlie Davies fired over on nine minutes while the winger provided the cross for Cox to flick the ball straight at Yarmouth ‘keeper Ben Cudden.

Peter Davies clipped an effort at goalwards that was comfortable for Cudden to stop before Charlie Davies planted a header inches wide after latching onto right-back Ashley Cole’s deep cross.

Robin Andersen curled a free kick at Saffron Walden ‘keeper Paul Wood after Joel Watts was blocked while at the other end Cudden dived low to hold on to Chris Reid’s powerful shot after a Yarmouth defender was penalised for handball.

Yarmouth got the equaliser as the game ticked into stoppage time.

A Robin Andersen free kick – won after Mitch Forbes’s run was impeded by Peter Flack – broke kindly for Johnny Jarvis to sweep the ball home from two yards.

Callum Jones curled an effort from 20 yards over the bar on 55 minutes while three minutes later Peter Davies scuffed the ball wide.

Yarmouth’s best chance to take the lead came on 67 minutes, a Robin Andersen free kick – after Johnny Jarvis was felled – was flicked through to George Barnden, the defender’s header blocked on the line by Paul Wood.

Two minutes later a diagonal ball from Callum Jones found Mitch Forbes clear of the last defender, again ‘keeper Wood came to Saffron’s rescue. The Bloaters kept the pressure on Saffron Walden in the final 20 minutes, with Scriven driving a shot over the bar on 85 minutes.

Yarmouth: Ben Cudden, Johnny Jarvis, Robin Andersen, Callum Jones, Joe Bryanton, Jordan Forbes, Joel Watts (Charlie McAra 77), George Barnden, Mitch Forbes, Josh Thomas (Tom Markham 85), Shaun MacLeod (Danny Scriven 53).

Goals: Jarvis 45+1. Bookings: Scriven 69.

Saffron Walden: Paul Wood, Ashley Cole (Joe Anderson 86), Dan De’Ath, Matthew Snelling, Peter Flack, Stuart Wardley, Louis Harper, Chris Reid, Nathan Cox (Ben Riches 79), Peter Davies, Charlie Davies.

Goals: Cox 5

Bookings: Flack 45, Snelling 78.

Cup action against Norfolk Thurlow Nunn opposition occupies Yarmouth for the next two games. Tomorrow they host Fakenham in the Norfolk Senior Cup (3) and on Tuesday they travel to high-flying Dereham (7.45) in the Red Insure League Cup.