Tuesday 26th January 2010
Bloaters 0, Halstead Town 3
Division One KO Cup
“A bad day at the office,” was Paul Tong’s summation of a disappointing night at the Wellesley as Halstead deservedly laid the ghosts of their 6-0 drubbing earlier in the season in the league fixture.
Yarmouth did have the excuse of having of four players out compared to Saturday and Scott Woodcock was still suspended, though Tong did have Roach back in the starting line-up. Not that the manager was making any excuses for his team's lack-lustre performance..
After starting at a high pace, Yarmouth hitting the bar after a 20th minute deep Adam Sewell throw-in, the Bloaters fell behind to a Pirie goal after 28 minutes, and the diminutive and nippy Halstead striker made it a personal double three minutes later, admittedly after a lucky rebound from a Yarmouth defender.
Yarmouth began the second half full of fire again, but it was the visitors who prospered further with a third goal by Ray Turner in the 52nd minute.
A triple Yarmouth substitution on the hour could make no impression, and Yarmouth can now concentrate more on the league chase though there is still the matter of the League Cup tie with Wroxham to come.
Maybe this game will be seen as a “wake-up” call that, even after a successful run, winning cannot be taken for granted! Yarmouth have still to visit Halstead in the league while the tough trip to Brantham comes up this Saturday.
Team – M Hilton, B Junior (J Bell 59), A Sewell, C Roberts, M Saunders (C Owen 59), S Best, L Bartley, D Smith, S Roach, J Reed, L Fell (F Vide 59). Unused subs: J Bell, L Roscoe.
Referee – J C C Mitchell
Attendance - 35