Kirkley & Pakefield 1 Great Yarmouth Town 2: Royals miss the chance to go top
Kirkley & Pakefield U23s line up before their match against Spexhall Hare & Hounds on Saturday Picture: BRYAN GRINT - Credit: Archant
Although last week's Friday night Thurlow Nunn Premier Division match at Walmer Road brought in a respectable attendance of 160 in miserable weather the match itself did not live up to expectations.
Second-in-the-table Royals put in a below par performance and lost to the third bottom Bloaters when a win would have taken them top, with Stowmarket not playing until Saturday.
The Royals' starting line-up saw one change with Kieron Baldwin replacing the unavailable Max Wall in defence.
The wind and rain made it difficult for both teams to settle and spectators had to wait until the 18th minute for the first real attempt at goal when Goldspink saw his powerful header punched out by the away keeper. Then on 31 minutes defender Ray Urry curled a fine 25 yard shot past the home defence and keeper to put the Bloaters one up.
Five minutes later Will replaced the injured Goldspink. On the stroke of half-time a Royals free-kick saw Miguel Lopez hit the underside of the crossbar with the ball coming down and out.
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In the 70th minute Great Yarmouth increase their lead in fortunate circumstances when a free-kick taken by Aaron Sanders saw home keeper Rix catch the ball and drop it into his own net in the windy conditions.
On 74 minute Kyle Haylock was running through on goal and was brought down inside the area and Lopez calmly placed the spot-kick in to the net to pull a goal back.
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On 83 minutes a double substitution saw Cameron Russell and Russell King enter the fray and it was now all out attacking for the Royals, with Will having a good 25 yard free-kick well saved by Barnes and Jack Herbert seeing his header kept out by the keeper.
Liam Harvey-Cooper saw his shot blocked by the keeper, from the resulting corner a Lewis Flower header was well saved then Haylock raced through on goal and once again was brought down for a second penalty. Lopez again stepped up but this time hit a poor penalty which Barnes, who was having a purple patch, saved. It went out to Russell who missed badly, shooting wide of the open goal. This was the home team's last chance to rescue a point, the match ending in a disappointing 2-1 defeat.
Kirkley & Pakefield: A Rix, K Baldwin (R King 83), M Wilson, L Hammond (C Russell 83), J Herbert (capt), L Flower, K Haylock, M Lopez, K Goldspink (L Will 36), L Harvey-Cooper, J Haverson. Subs unused: G Williams, A Blowers.
This Saturday Kirkley & Pakefield are in action in a league match at FC Clacton (3pm).
