Saturday 8^th November 2008

BLOATERS 3, OULTON BROAD & NOTLEYS 2

The Reserves went to the top of Division Two with this result. As with other games this season, a host of chances were spurned and the result looks a lot closer than it really was. Broad’s two goals were gifted them by errors from ‘keeper Steve Pyrke but he atoned with a couple of excellent saves in the second half.

Broad took an early lead with the game less than five minutes old when a looped shot from the right was only helped into the net by the strong wind and the ‘keeper’s hands. But the Reserves were not long in replying. In the seventh minute, Jose Vide broke down the Yarmouth right and moved inside before unleashing a perfectly-placed lob over the visiting ‘keeper.

Mark Thompson failed in a one-on-one with the Broad ‘keeper who stood his ground and parried the Yarmouth winger’s shot at close range just after the half-hour mark, but Yarmouth, after many missed opportunities, finally and deservedly went ahead in added time through Fernando Vide.

Broad equalised on 51 minutes when a low shot to Pyrke’s left-hand post went right under the ‘keeper’s dive. Thompson immediately hit a post, to his obvious disgust, but within two minutes Yarmouth scored the final goal when the same player took a free kick some 35 yards out and curled a beautiful left-foot shot in under the bar by the back post.

Several of the Division’s top teams were engaged in cup games but even given them winning their games in hand, the Reserves would still be in third place.

Team – Steve Pyrke, Jordan Hardy, Simeon Lee, Jamie Miller, Sam Watts, Daniel Goodrum (c), Fernando Vide, Jacob Maitland, Darren Patterson, Jose Vide, Mark Thompson. Subs: Gavin Lawes, Richard Brett, Tommy Gardiner (all used).

Sat. 13^th September 2008

BLOATERS’ RESERVES 2, NORWICH UTD RESERVES 1

Buoyed by the fight back from 2 goals down last week and with the majority of the same players at their disposal, Rudling and Harrison were confident that with the correct application and effort all 3 points were there for the taking.

It wasn’t long before the Bloaters kicked into gear and some fine passing play along with the incredible pace of Crux down the left was causing Norwich Utd Reserves all sorts of problems.

The first 15 minutes were spent almost entirely in Norwich’s half and Yarmouth look superb. The first goal came after some good link up play by Patterson and McAra. As the ball bounced around loose in the opponents box Patterson laid the ball to McAra on a plate and Charlie gratefully lapped it all up as he struck the ball into the back of the Norwich United goal.

On the bench Rudling and Harrison were beginning to think that a real goal fest was on the cards as the bloaters turned on the style for the next 5 minutes leaving Norwich chasing shadows and 2 of their players in the ref’s book for late challenges.

Then for some reason Yarmouth took their foot of the pedal and began to sit back giving the away team time to play the ball around.  It was role reversal for the next 15 minutes as Norwich United dominated the play and looked to get an equaliser. Some slack play by the Bloaters saw them give the ball far too easily in their own half, causing Harrison on the side lines to liken it to an episode of the Chuckle Brothers!

Thankfully the experienced head of Johnny Watt came to the rescue and he began to lead by example and close down the opposition restricting their time on the ball and forcing the play Yarmouth’s way once more. As the half time whistle approached it was home team again who were on the ascendance.

The message at half time was more of the effort and play from the first 15 minutes and the rewards would come flowing. That’s exactly what the boys did and they took the game to Norwich straight from the off.

It wasn’t long before a second goal came via the foot of Patterson who calmly slotted the ball passed the ‘keeper as he bore down on goal. Again, Rudling and Harrison were thinking that a goal fest was on its way only to be disappointed once more!

Poor play began to let the opponents into the game and chances soon came their way. With less than 20 minutes to play a poor clearance by the home keeper saw the ball returned with interest into the back of the Yarmouth goal.

It was going to be a nervy end to the match!!! However the boys responded well and soon began to assert their authority on the once more. Except for a few long range efforts the was very little for Pyrke to do in the final ¼ hour of the match and once again the away team resorted to kicking Yarmouth off the pitch. The worst of these tackles came in the final 5 minutes when Man of the Match Crux was savagely scythed down causing him to limp out of the match with a badly bruised ankle.

The final minutes of the clock clicked by without any real incident and a satisfying if somewhat infuriating game resulted in a first home win and 3 points in the bag. Rudling and Harrison have set the boys a task of making the Wellesley an impenetrable fortress this season and this win has set them off on the right foot. 

Team: S. Pyrke, G. Lawes, S. Lee, J. Watt (Capt.), D. Goodrum, T. Gardiner, J. Miller, J. Maitland, D. Patterson, C. McAra, L. Crux. Subs: R. Oldham, A. Rilings, F. Vide.

Saturday 6th September

WEST LYNN SSC 3, BLOATERS RESERVES 3

On a blustery autumn afternoon, the Bloaters’ reserves travelled to West Lynn with several new faces in the starting line up. Debuts were given to new signings, S Pryke in goal, D Goodrum in the heart of defence, J Miller, L Crux (both in midfield) and D. Patterson up front. It was also good to see Robbie Oldham return to the squad again after an ankle injury had kept him out of the first two games of the season. Manager Rudling also had to name himself on the bench following a very late call off but informed the team that he would only play if one of their legs fell off!!!

The Bloaters won the toss and chose to play into the wind for the first half. During a fairly even first 20 minutes both sides struggled with the conditions but gradually as the half wore on Yarmouth began to get the ball down and play some nice football. Chances began to come Yarmouth’s way, but some good defending by the home side kept the scores even.

Tackles were flying in from both sides in the middle of the park, but unlike in their last outing, the Bloaters were not to be intimidated. With five minutes of the half to go however a lapse in concentration allowed West Lynn to put 4 or 5 passes together down their left flank and release their front man in on goal. As Pryke advanced out to close him down he neatly slotted the ball pass him to take a shock lead.

The Bloaters responded well though and even had the ball in the back of West Lynn’s net via Patterson’s head only to see it ruled out by the linesmen’s flag.

Half time        West Lynn 1 – 0 Great Yarmouth Reserves.

Managers Rudling and Harrison had plenty of words of encouragement at half time and the boys were sent out with the message, keep the ball on the ground, move it quickly and goals will come. With the wind now behind them, Yarmouth started the 2^nd half brightly and soon forced a series of 5 corners in a row, but none of these could be forced over the line for the equaliser.

Then once again Yarmouth were caught with a sucker punch as West Lynn stole up the pitch and nicked a second.

But, showing fantastic team spirit, the Bloaters restarted the game with even more purpose and it wasn’t long before they were almost encamped permanently in their opponents half.

They were soon rewarded for their efforts when Patterson picked the ball up just outside the box on the left hand side. He stepped in side one defender before striking the ball sweetly with his right foot into the far corner. The goal was no more the Yarmouth deserved and straight from the kick off they were chasing West Lynn down in search of the equaliser.

It wasn’t long in coming and it was another new boy, this time Goodrum who strode up from the back to head home a beautifully struck free kick from Miller. There was no stopping Yarmouth now as they began to play the free flowing football Rudling and Harrison have been asking for all season. Another corner from the right by Miller was met with a thunderbolt of a header by Patterson for his second and Yarmouth were rampant.

However West Lynn don’t role over and die that easily and they began to enforce themselves back into the game. Trying to catch Yarmouth on the counter attack they forced a corner and somehow the ball found itself in the back of the net inside the near post.

With 5 minutes left it was all to play for but Yarmouth’s superior fitness began to show and if their was to be a winner you sensed it would come form the Gold and Black stripes. Yarmouth pressed and pressed but the home defence stood firm. One last gilt edged chance came Yarmouth’s way as a deep corner by Miller was met powerfully by Sam Watts at the back post but somehow he only found the side netting.

When the final whistle went Rudling and Harrison had mixed emotions. A point away to West Lynn is an excellent result but could it have been all three???

Full Time West Lynn 3 – 3 Yarmouth Reserves

Tues. 26^th August 2008

Oulton Broad & Notleys 3, Bloaters Reserves 1

From the off Yarmouth failed to find their normal fluent passing game on a small and bumpy pitch. Oulton Broad continually harried and pressed the Bloaters into making silly errors in dangerous places.

“When we found our rhythm and played football on the floor chances were created,” said manager Eden Rudling, “but poor finishing meant we had nothing to show for it.”

Oulton Broad worked tirelessly, closing down the midfield and after about 20 minutes got their reward when Lewis Popham was caught on the ball in the middle of his own half and from the break Broad found a way past Hilton in goal to take the lead.

Yarmouth looked dejected and despite a slight change in the formation to a more orthodox 4-4-2 never really got to grips with the more physical side of the game.

It wasn’t long before another error gifted Oulton Broad with the ball mid-way in the Yarmouth half. A quick counter attack saw the ball played out to Broad’s right flank and a pin-point cross to the far post was to produce an exquisite volley by the home side’s number 6 which left Hilton with no chance.

The management team of Rudling and Harrison resisted the temptation to make changes at half time but left the players in no doubt that they needed to up their game if they wanted to take anything out of the match.

The half-time team talk appeared to have worked, as the first ten minutes of the second period were played almost entirely in the opponents’ half. A few half chances went begging before Oulton Broad’s physical game began to take hold again. Yarmouth returned to their first half tactic of high balls and too many touches before a needlessly-conceded corner lead to the killer third goal.

A good delivery from their left found a player completely unmarked and unopposed, eight yards out, to power his header past the again-helpless Hilton.

Changes were made and Yarmouth finally began to use their superior ability and pace to good effect; more chances were created but a series of poor finishing and bad luck meant no reward.

Oulton Broad began to look tired and their only chances came from the long ball out of the keeper’s hands. With Yarmouth applying more pressure and taking more risks at the back, the game became stretched.

The Bloater’s looked to exploit the gaps and with just under 15 minutes remaining Jose Vide cut in from the right and fired a thunderbolt past the home keeper from just outside the box.

Report by Eden Rudling