Stimpson Seaside Special

Blues embarked on their longest trip to coastal Norfolk to meet mid table Gorleston and came away with all three points in a dogged display, epitomising their new found resilience, recording a third clean sheet in the last four matches.
Gorleston started brightly applying pressure, and with just five minutes on the clock Dominic Doherty tested Anthony Page from distance, his effort lacking pace allowing Page to make a comfortable save. It looked ominous in this opening period , with Blues for a time chasing shadows but they began to settle so much so that on 12 minutes after good build up, Malakai Toussaint rifled an effort whistling just past the woodwork.

Play was now confined in midfield, Gorleston were employing a more direct style, with Ismael Fatadjo prominent. But a more measurable approach saw Blues probing with Billy Crook and Matas Skarna combining well to test the home rearguard. It really was becoming a stalemate though as the half progressed, with neither side able to create periods of pressure, their cause not helped by an uneven surface which made control a lottery.

Alejandro Machedo who has looked assured and accomplished since his move to central defence was the catalyst in the move that allowed Blues to break the deadlock on 39 minutes. Finding himself in an advanced position wide on the left, he jinked past two challengers, unleashing a low drive which Jake Jessup could only push away finding Stimson at the far post with an easy tap in, there was a suspicion of offside but after consultation the goal was given. Stimson produced another effort on the stroke of half time drifting wide.

HT 0-1

A goal down Gorleston failed to exert expected pressure on the restart, in contrast Blues looked hungry winning a succession of free kicks which failed to elicit a chance. The hosts continued to employ a long ball tactic, but with the wind behind them the ball was often overhit allowing Blues to deal comfortably with any threat. Michael Finneran and Machedo were imperious, the latter always looking comfortable on the ball playing out from the back.

Dochery had the hosts best opportunity when he engineered space to unleash a fierce drive forcing Page to turn the ball behind. The game was now finely balanced, Gorleston searching for the equaliser, and Blues looking to defend their one goal advantage, the next goal pivotal to the final outcome. And so it was on 79 minutes when that goal came. Stimson chasing a ball deep into the 18 yard box harried the Gorleston man who used an arm to control the ball, the referee pointing to the spot. It appeared a dubious decision, but Blues have been on the end of a few of these this season so maybe justice was done. Stimson dispatching the kick with aplomb.

The closing period saw Gorleston try to salvage something from the afternoon, they were helped by a Blues midfield failing to hold on to the ball. But the defence and Page were equal to everything thrown at them in a frantic finale, the closest they came was when Machedo cleared off the line.

So another three points which ensured safety from relegation, a clean sheet, and the long journey home guaranteed to be lively.

Page, Clark, Humphrey, Machedo, Finneran, Milner, Skarna, Toussaint, Stimson (Perry 84), Crook (Duberry 79), Sartorius (Maccari 64)
Subs not used:Ashley, Matyar