Blofield United FC

Team: Ryan Hemmings, Matty Banham, Darren Cox, Stuart Rushbrook, Kris Hart (C), James Basey-Fisher, Greg Murphy, Colin Wines, Ben Morgan, Chris Holmes, Danny McKail. Subs: Ian Stones, Karl Mills, Jamie Furlong, Simon Blowers.

Norwich St Johns arrived at the Rec on a blustery autumn day for this Senior Cup fourth round game in fine form having won their last five games. The Beavers kicked off towards the Yarmouth end with the wind at their backs but it took the Saints just 56 seconds to open the scoring. James Basey-Fisher was dispossessed, Dave Matthews broke away finding Luke Tuttle in space with time to pick his spot past Hemmings into the far corner of the net. At the other end, Chris Holmes flicked on Hart’s cross, Greg Murphy won the ball for Danny McKail but he couldn’t find the target from the angle. In a good move started by Holmes, Ben Morgan put the ball out wide to Colin Wines, Basey-Fisher supplied Matty Banham who beat Matt Lucas but his shot was saved by Brad Vincent under pressure from McKail. Blofield were dominating possession winning a succession of corners and in a controversial moment, the ball was adjudged not to have crossed the line following Holmes’ terrific curling corner, the ball being knocked out by the defender from behind the line. As the Beavers pressed forward, Ryan Hemmings did well to thwart Aaron Kay then Matthews after his’ mazy run down the right beating Wines, Hart and Cox. The Saints’ captain Mattty Racher made a goal-saving block off the line from Wines’ close-range volley then Morgan rose well to head Wines corner just wide. Seconds later it was 2-0 to the Saints after a quick breakaway found Lloyd Greening in acres of space on the left to strike the ball home. The half finished with Hemmings tipping Matthews’ powerful shot onto the bar after Tye Bussens had put him through.

With 7 minutes gone in the second half, Aaron Kay gave Hemmings no chance with a sweet low strike following a corner kick for 3-0, a quality goal from 25 yards. Jamie Furlong replaced Danny McKail and it should have been 4-0 after a mistake by Darren Cox let Tuttle through but he stroked the ball past Hemmings wide of the post. After 66 minutes Furlong’s shot rebounded to Tuttle one-on-one with Cox and when Tuttle went down under Coxy’s challenge, Mr Paul Goldsmith pointed to the penalty spot. Having responded to the linesman’s signal, Mr Goldsmith changed his decision to a free kick just outside the box and in confirmation that this was the Saints day, Tuttle’s free kick took a kind deflection to loop the ball over Hemmings into the net. Morgan’s free kick was tipped over by Vincent after Holmes was brought down by Craig Fewtrell but after 73 minutes Hartie was caught in possession by Aaron Kay for the fifth goal.

Credit to Norwich St Johns for taking full advantage of some awful defending. The trio of Kay, Matthews and Tuttle are a potent attacking force which looked like scoring with every attack whilst at the other end, the ”goal-line” clearance and block from Wines kept the clean sheet. The Beavers will need to regroup for next Saturday’s league game against Wells at home, kick-off 2pm.

DAVE WHEELER