Great Yarmouth Town 1, Brantham Athletic 1A second-half goal from Scott Woodcock, his first of the season, ensured Yarmouth a share of the spoils in this top-of-the-table match between third and fourth in the Ridgeons First Division.

Great Yarmouth Town 1, Brantham Athletic 1

A second-half goal from Scott Woodcock, his first of the season, ensured Yarmouth a share of the spoils in this top-of-the-table match between third and fourth in the Ridgeons First Division.

After going behind to a goal by Brantham's leading scorer Ollie Mann, Yarmouth then dominated the second half and could have won handsomely had they made more of their many chances.

Manager Paul Tong made one change from the team that won at Swaffham, bringing in Fernando Vide for his first senior start of the season. And the Portuguese national fully justified his selection with a man-of-the-match performance on the right wing.

With Adey Ager's injury confirmed during the week as a cruciate ligament, condemning the team captain to months of inaction, Stewart Roach continued with the armband and commanded his troops from the front. An early volley showed his intent but keeper Nathan Munson saved well. Smith put a header wide then saw his shot from another Vide cross saved before Brantham struck in the 29th minute.

The Yarmouth defence got in a tangle and Mann took advantage to beat Michael Hilton with a low shot.

Marcus Saunders was immediately substituted after suffering a a groin strain, having only returned from injury last week at Swaffham. Enter Woodcock and the attack straightaway looked more lively. His first touch was a shot from Vide's cross, shortly followed by a centre for Roach which was nipped off the striker's toes for a corner.

Great interplay by Vide and Roach gave Reed a shot and the youngster then supplied a pass for Woodcock through the middle that was just too strong. Woodcock was unlucky to see a close-range effort ruled out for a tight offside.

Vide tried a shot of his own on the resumption but was narrowly wide. Roach then nodded on to Reed on the edge but his instantaneous shot was hit just over.

Just after the hour came the goal Yarmouth deserved. Gareth Palmer supplied Woodcock who went on and finished in some style across Munson and into the far corner.

Munson produced an amazing save after a Woodcock corner. Roach released Vide whose cross came back off the bar into Munson's hands. Martyn Magee was unlucky with a tremendous effort that dipped just over.

On 80 minutes Roach headed beyond Munson, but the ball came back off the bar with Roach's follow-up header ending in the keeper's arms. Five minutes later, Roach had a shot turned round the corner.

Manager Tong thought the team showed a lot of character: “We were caught napping on their goal but then we fought back and took the game to them second half and created many chances. But overall, it was a good result against a challenging team.”

Yarmouth: M Hilton, A Sewell, O Savage, C Roberts, M Saunders (S Woodcock 32), G Palmer, F Vide, M Magee, S Roach, J Reed (J Bell 71), D Smith. Unused sub: B Junior.

Diss Reserves 1, Bloaters Reserves 12

Going into this match, Diss had lost all their games and Yarmouth won all theirs. “It was one of those dream days,” mused assistant manager Andy Deeley. “The boys' commitment and attitude were fantastic and it was just a superb afternoon, one to be treasured.

“That's probably as good as those boys are going to play all season!

“Diss had their regular side out but had never been tonked like that before. Everything just came off

for us. I can't give you chapter

and verse on the game, it's all just a blur now!”

For the record, Diss scored in the opening minutes, but then the Bloaters Roadshow took over - five in the first half followed by seven in the second; its now five away games and five wins for Yarmouth's second string. The scorers at Diss were Mark Thompson, Martin Goulder (3), Vida Formoso (2), Liam Bartley and Lewis Greening (5), having gone on as a second-half substitute.

Team: B Lowthorpe, E Wright, D Barnes, J Miller, A Formoso, L Bartley, R Catchpole, M Thompson, M Golder, V Formoso, J Deeley. Subs: J Ward, R Blade, L Greening.

The last time a Yarmouth Town senior side scored a dozen was also the Reserves in their re-formation season 1975-76 when they defeated Long Stratton 12-0 in a home Anglian Combination fixture, and two players scored fives in that match - Dave Tungate and Micky Calver. The Youth team also scored a round dozen in the mid-Nineties when a certain Stewart Roach bagged six of them.