One Down, Nine To Go

Gorleston kept up the pressure on the top three and gained some sort of revenge for defeat in Melford a month ago.

Ricci Butler made four changes from the midweek defeat at leaders Mildenhall.

Out went Kyle Ingram, George Yusuff, Peter Oldham and Connor Ingram with starts going to Damon Wise, Isaac Burrage, Keegan Middleton and Jack Garrod.

Melford perhaps had the better of the early possession but it was Gorleston who looked most dangerous.

Kyle Baker robbed visiting keeper Darren Moyse in the sixth minute and squared the ball goalwards but a defender had got back to cover.

Six minutes later Jack Garrod burst through into the box, after a shout for handball as a defender fell on the ball, it found its way to Luke Goreham but he dragged his shot wide.

The Greens took the lead in the fifteenth minute.

A searching ball from Isaac Burrage picked out Middleton in the middle. He slipped but the ball fell to Baker who slotted the ball into the bottom corner of the goal.

Melford responded and had their first shot on target from a corner but it bounced through tamely to Taurean Molloy.

Middleton picked out a Joel Watts run and Watts slotted the ball into the net only to be denied but what must have been a tight offside decision.
Baker got himself through on the keeper but poked his shot into the keeper's midriff before Moyse grabbed a Middleton effort.

The keeper then denied Middleton again, three minutes before the break, with an excellent low fingertip save.

Garrod had the first effort of the second half but again the shot was straight to the keeper.

Next it was Molloys turn to pull off possibly the save of the match in the 49th minute to deny the visitors an equaliser.

Somehow Michael Runicles found himself free in front of goal about four yards out. He looked certain to score but Molloy reacted superbly to fingertip the ball wide of the post.

The Greens extended their lead in the 61st minute.

Baker won the ball on the right and crossed the ball into the area where Watts was unmarked to guide a header over the keeper and into the goal.

Melford headed over from a corner before Gorleston made sure of the points in the 70th minute.

A Middleton free kick from out on the left wing was played inch perfect to the far post onto the head of Aaron Taylor who planted it into the net for his first goal of the season.

Molloy then produced another excellent reaction save to deny Melford from close range, then kept out Daniel Swain with a flying save to his left.

Connor Ingram tried his luck from a thirty yard free kick in stoppage time which Moyse got down to save.

The match sponsor awarded the Batemans man of the match to Luke Goreham.

Gorleston: Taurean Molloy, Harley Clements (c), Damon Wise, Jacob Short, Isaac Burrage, Aaron Taylor, Luke Goreham, Joel Watts (Kyle Ingram 81), Jack Garrod (Connor Ingram 67), Kyle Baker (George Yusuff 81), Keegan Middleton

Booking: Middleton 60

Goals: Baker 15; Watts 61; Taylor 70

Long Melford: Darren Moyes, Scott Sloots, Ryan Dewey, Thomas Le Page, Ashley Skeggs, Anthony Waugh (c), Hassan Ally, Reece Clarke, Michael Runicles (Jamie Bradbury 90), Daniel Swain, Will Wingfield (Josh Collins 74)

Booking: Le Page 83

Attendance: 109

Ref: Abigail Marriott

	Stat Attack
Gorleston		Mildenhall
3	Goals	0
6	Other efforts on target	4
3	Other efforts off target	4
0	Other efforts against woodwork	0
1	Shots blocked	1
8	Corners for	9
5	Caught offside	1
10	Free kicks for	7
1	Yellow cards	1
0	Red cards	0