GREATYARMOUTHFC.CO.UK

Saturday 31st October 2009

BLOATERS 6, HALSTEAD TOWN 0

Halstead Town endured their own Halloween horror story as Yarmouth proved too tricky for the visitors and treated the Wellesley fans to a riot of goals. A brace each for Stewart Roach and man of the match Scott Woodcock, a superb goal from Liam Bartley and a first senior goal for Joe Bell humiliated the visitors whom Paul Tong had described in his programme notes as his “tip for the top”! 

Halstead had been expected to be tough opponents but the Yarmouth boss said afterwards: “We have been creating chances without really finishing teams off this season but everything we did just came off! I’ve been saying that some team somewhere will cop it when we all get on form together and today was it.” 

Tong’s criticisms following the Stowmarket win must have hit home as Yarmouth produced an irresistible performance throughout the team which included Gareth Palmer restored to the defence with Marcus Saunders still sidelined through his hamstring injury. 

Halstead, who missed out on promotion last season by one point after only drawing at the Wellesley in the final match, were put to the sword by Woodcock whose pace and guile down the left constantly cut through a weak defence. Woodcock said: “It was never an easy game but they had no answer to our hard work and team spirit. After last week, all the lads did it for the manager.” On his own electrifying performance, Woodcock said it was down to physio Marianne McNally: “We worked hard on my fitness on Friday so I have Mazze to thank really!” 

A shot from Roach that hit the base of a post after only two minutes set the tone for the afternoon and Woodcock soon got going moments later with a similar shot and result. And the early fireworks continued with Liam Bartley sending Roach away and his pass to Gavin Norman saw the new man shoot narrowly wide after six minutes. Woodcock and Bartley then combined to feed Norman who was fractionally offside. Amongst all this, Hadleigh actually won the game’s first corner. 

With the game less than ten minutes old, Woodcock received from Bartley and his stepovers mesmerised the Halstead defence but the shot was not powerful enough to trouble Walker in the visitors’ goal. 

Adam Sewell was busy breaking up rare Halstead attacks and another of his clearances to Woodcock saw Norman take the ball on with Bartley sending in the cross to the far post where Walker gathered well. Yarmouth kept up the pressure on a poorly performing Halstead side and after a quarter of an hour Roach, Martyn Magee and Bartley were all battling in the visitors’ area for another Woodcock cross, with Bartley getting the final touch heading the ball just wide. 

The opening goal, which Yarmouth richly deserved for their bombardment of the Halstead goal, came after twenty minutes: Norman fed Woodcock and his finish was as cool as you like. He almost had a second minutes later from a Dominic Smith centre but Walker just got to the ball first.  

Goal number two came after 35 minutes: Olly Savage supplied the telling pass on the left which Woodcock took on to finish with an unstoppable shot to the far corner. 

Two minutes later, referee Gadd decided a double booking would settle the situation as Craig Roberts and Halstead captain Lee Townrow clashed on the edge of the Yarmouth area, though in addition he awarded a free kick to Halstead which saw Michael Hilton make his first save low by the post. 

The third goal arrived just before half time. A Bartley pass over the defence found Woodcock steaming in; his hot-shot was only partially saved and Roach stuck his head in to put away the loose ball from two yards. 

If Halstead had any thoughts of a comeback after half time they were obliterated within six minutes. The visitors brought their three substitutes on immediately, but twenty seconds after the break, Bartley made it four: taking a Woodcock pass in midfield, Bartley ran on and on and finished with aplomb past a helpless Walker. Woodcock then took another fierce shot, Walker fumbled and Norman racing in blast past the post but it did not matter as four minutes later Roach made it 5-0 when he headed in a Savage centre. 

Halstead won corners aplenty but made nothing of them. In the 58^th minute, Hilton made a good catch from one and straightaway at the other end Walker saved a Norman shot with his legs. 

Roach went off to great applause to be replaced by Jake Reed, Hilton resumed the captaincy and Yarmouth easily defended some Halstead corners before introducing Joe Bell (for Woodcock) and Fernando Vide (for Roberts). Bell supplied a great ball which Walker snatched up just ahead of Reed, and Hilton made a clean catch from a header after another Halstead corner. Vide tricked the experienced but out-of-sorts Terry Rayner, looked to have lost the ball then won it back, but finally did lose out to the ‘keeper. 

But Vide had a part in the final goal in added time; after some typical trickery, he was fouled 25 yards out and Bell strode up to take the kick, sending a left-footer directly past Walker for his debut first team goal – he’ll hardly score a better one! 

The only downer of the afternoon was the low ‘gate’ of 56 but those who did turn out went home full of praise for a marvellous Bloaters’ performance - six good goals and a clean sheet, what more could be asked or expected? 

Yarmouth – M Hilton, A Sewell, O Savage, C Roberts (F Vide 70), G Palmer, D Smith, L Bartley, M Magee, S Roach (J Reed 61), G Norman, S Woodcock (J Bell 70).

Referee – Michael Gadd (Colchester)

Attendance – 56