Friend to the rescue as March make a rusty start
March Town United 2, Great Yarmouth Town 1
Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties League Division One North
If your form is not quite right and your passes are not flowing, it's always handy to have the best striker in the league on your side.
Last year's top scorer Jack Friend was marshalled superbly all afternoon by a Yarmouth side much improved on that campaign, but Friend was given two half chances and scored the two goals that gave the Hares victory this afternoon.
His first was a beautiful left footed effort from 20 yards out after 13 minutes that no keeper would have saved. And with his side looking like they would draw, or worse, he chased down a long goal kick in in the 85th minute, got there before the visiting keeper and was clattered to the ground.
He got up and coolly slotted another left foot effort into the back of the net. Job done.
In truth though, this was a disappointing performance from the Hares in front of the maximum crowd FA COVID-19 regulations would allow. After a positive, coherent start, they lost their way towards the end of the first half and, after the Norfolk side's equaliser, at times looked like they could be on the end of a shock defeat.
But there were good signs too. Ever-improving keeper Charlie Congreve looked impressive when called into action, captain and centre back Danny Emmington was as dominating as ever, debutant Jack Frohawk's pace added another dimension to the March attack and substitute Brody Warren looked a real handful when he came on.
Early on, it didn't look like March would have any problems. Toby Allen saw a seventh minute chance whizz just past the far post, and then Friend scored the opener from what would not even have been considered a chance for most Step 6 players.
But, while on the front foot, March were not creating much. A wonderful effort from Tarren Moxon clipped the bar after 28 minutes and Frohawk failed to turn in a great cross from Craig Gillies, who had a quiet match, three minutes later.
However, Yarmouth showed what they were about after 37 minutes when Congreve pulled off a great low save from Jamie Smith. Undeterred, March saw Allen and left back Tom McLeish both force visiting keeper Evlijs Putnins into saves before the break.
March were out several minutes before Yarmouth in the second half, but it certainly did not work to their advantage. For 20 minutes they were lethargic and not gelling as a team at all.
The warning signs were there after 51 minutes when a great Emmington intervention prevented a Yarmouth striker from having a one-on-one with Congreve ten yards out. Two minutes later and the visitors did get through, only to be thwarted by the young home keeper.
But, after 57 minutes, a beautifully weighted cross from Declan McAvoy was headed home by Jordi Forbes and the GER was silenced. Six minutes later it could have been worse, but the hard-working McAvoy screwed his attempt just wide.
March were running out of ideas, but this season they have some impressive strength in depth, and Jack Rawson and Brody Warren were brought on for Toby Allen and Crag Gillies after 70 minutes.
The two made an immediate impact, Rawson always looking to get on the ball and Warren giving the Yarmouth left back a real headache. But it was route one for the winner, Congreve belting out a long goal kick, Friend, chasing it down, being taken out and slotting home the penalty.
Not the start we all expected but we had a good idea who would get the goals.
March (4-3-3): Congreve, Burrows, Short, Emmington, McLeish; Moxon, Allen (Rawson 70 mins), McQuaid; Gillies (Warren 70), Friend, Frohawk (Gibson 85). Subs (not used): Pocklington (GK), Callaghan.
Star man: Jack Friend - kept quiet for much of the match but his quality shone through.
Attendance: 149.