A spirited performance from Gorleston was not enough to halt the runaway league leaders on Tuesday evening.

Stewart Larter made two changes from the team that had lost in the Senior Cup. George Parkin replacing Sam Freestone in goal and Peter Lambert coming in for Daniel Foreman.

There were three Ingrams on the pitch, two for Gorleston, but before the match another one, Gary, announced he was stepping down from his assistant manager role.

Mitch McKay went close for the Greens before the visitors went ahead in the fifth minute. One straight ball through the middle bisected the defence and Joe Francis rounded Parkin and slotted the ball home.

Gorleston really should have equalised in the 16th minute when a good passing move put Connor Ingram through one-on-one.

The ball spun nicely to Ismael Fatadjo after it had been blocked but, with the goal at his mercy, the youngster put the ball over the bar.

That miss was exacerbated almost straightaway when Stuart Boardley picked the ball up 20 yards out and lobbed it into the top corner.

Gorleston had been playing well but the visitors then made it three in controversial circumstances when Miles Powell turned in a cross from a colleague who had appeared well offside when he took possession.

Six minutes before the break came the fourth. Parkin sliced an attempted clearance up in the air and although he made amends by recovering quickly to keep out Scott Chaplin’s effort the ball rebounded out to Francis who volleyed back first time superbly into the net.

The second half began a little scrappily but, again, it was Gorleston playing most of the football and they did eventually find a way through in the 65th minute.

After being tugged back 25 yards from goal Connor Ingram took the free-kick himself and, with pin point accuracy, got he ball over the wall and nicely into the top corner for a thoroughly deserved consolation.

Match sponsors Tecflo picked Kyle Ingram as the Batemans man-of-the-match.

Gorleston: Parkin, Hitch (Pinheiro 85), Kounnas, Goreham, Clements, Burrage, Fatadjo (Garrod 59), Lambert (Watts 74), C Ingram, McKay, K Ingram. Attendance: 140.