Penalty Miss Costs Greens a Point

A second half penalty save saw the Greens suffer their second scoreless league defeat in a row.

Gorleston made three changes from the Walsham le Willows defeat. Out went Elliott Hannant and Nelson Carinhas with Travis Stanley dropping to the bench. They were replaced by Jack Tipple, Jordan Cantwell and Joel Watts.

An open start to the game saw Ely settle quickest with a chance blocked then a half chance cleared after keeper Tom Coombe had dropped the ball.

The Greens had the first effort on target though with Ross Gilfedder's seventh minute shot going straight into the keepers midriff.

Sam Reed then looped a header over the Gorleston bar before the hosts took the lead in the 13th minute.

Ely's outlet several times already had been to Deakan Napier on their right wing. Once more he was picked out with a long ball in behind the Greens defence. He looked offside but the linesman stated afterwards David Shade had played him on. Napiers low ball across the face of the goal found Reed arriving at the back post for a simple tap in.

Gorleston could find no rhythm and Coombe kept his side in the match in the 28th minute, tipping over a Jamie Alsopp free kick.

In a carbon copy of the goal, Alex Brown should have doubled his sides lead before Gorleston almost got back in the game when a defensive header off a long Ryan Fuller throw in struck the post.

As the half ended, Ely keeper Evan Jeckells got lucky when his came out of his box and had to head clear. The ball went sideways and he grabbed it in the air right on the edge of his box.

The second half began with Ely playing some nice football and passing through the Greens midfield with ease whilst the visitors could hardly string two passes together.

Coombe had to parry away a deflected Brown effort then Jordan Stanton picked out Fuller on the left who fed Watts but again the shot was straight at the keeper.

The lively Napier bore down on Coombe's goal but decided to take a tumble instead of pulling the trigger. Three minutes later he weaved through the Gorleston defences to the byline and greedily chose to shoot from a very tight angle rather than pulling the ball back to waiting team mates.

With no attacking options on the bench, Stewart Larter had to tweak his formations to try and get something from the game. First, Luke Goreham was replaced by Joe Norton, who went to right back, with Tipple moving to the left and Stanton more central.

Shade picked out Watts with a through ball but the shot was once again easy for the keeper before Coombe strayed out of his box to clear the ball with it falling to an Ely player ten yards inside the Ely half. He hit it back towards the empty net but it drifted wide.

Gorleston were given the perfect chance to rescue a point in the 73rd minute. Watts was upended as he turned in the box and the referee pointed to the spot.

Up stepped Gilfedder but, although he struck it well, his kick was a good height for the keeper who pushed it away.

The Greens had their best spell of the match in the final fifteen minutes, finally finding their passing range and pushing their opponents back.

The influential Watts hit a great ball in which Fuller was millimetres away from turning in.

Sam Ellis came on for his first appearance in 19 months to give Gorleston their third right back of the game with Norton going to the left and Tipple more central. .

Gorleston kept pushing on but couldn't find a way through with the best chance falling to Jackson Ramm in the third minute of stoppage time but he made no decent connection on the ball with the goal at his mercy.

Gorleston: Tom Coombe, Jack Tipple, Luke Goreham (Joe Norton 60), Jordan Cantwell, David Shade, Aarron Taylor (c), Jordan Stanton (Sam Ellis 86), Jackson Ramm, Ross Gilfedder, Ryan Fuller, Joel Watts

Ely City: Evan Jeckells, Daniel Jeffrey, Jamie Alsop (c), Ashley walter, Tom Williams, Sam Goodge, Deakan Napier, Matthew Simpson, Sam Reed (Tom Thulborn 80), Alex Brown, Jamie Thurlbourne (Martin Grey 86)

Goal: Reed 13

Ref: J Burridge

Attendance: ??

	Stat Attack
Gorleston		Ely City
0	Goals	1
5	Other efforts on target	3
2	Other efforts off target	5
1	Other efforts against woodwork	0
2	Shots blocked	1
3	Corners for	4
0	Caught offside	6
5	Free kicks for	12
0	Yellow cards	0
0	Red cards	0