Crane 1 Gorleston 4

Division 4NE

Crane 1 Gorleston 4

A hugely disappointing end to Cranes season came as they were beaten at home for the first time by a determined Gorleston side.

A win would have sent Crane up as champions of the division but this result consigns them to third spot and life in 4NE for another season.

Gorleston were a different team to the one that Crane had beaten comprehensively away from home at the end of last year and Crane didn't rise to the physical challenge presented.

Crane's Andy Bristow opened the scoring midway through the first half. At this stage Crane were on top, but a good break by Gorleston allowed their winger the time and space to smash the ball into the top corner to equalise.

Crane continued to press and a sublime aerial pass by Aiden Bloomfield sent brother Craig beyond the backline who drew the keeper before slipping the ball to Ali Black, who agonisingly miss-controlled the ball and the chance was gone.

It was end-to-end stuff, Gorleston hit a post and seconds later it was Black creating a superb opportunity on the break for Adi Dawson whose resulting shot failed to trouble the keeper from six yards.

With things evenly balanced at half time it could have swung either way and indeed it seemed that Crane had made the breakthrough when a goal was awarded only for Mark Campbell to sportingly inform the umpire that he hadn't got the finishing touch.

Gorleston struck from a short corner to take the lead for the first time in the game and Crane were then chasing the game, which left more space at the back. A single goal would still be enough for Crane but Gorleston struck again, this time a scrabbled effort after the defence had failed to clear.

Still Crane pressed and their earlier sportsmanship was returned when after a penalty corner wasn't awarded in Cranes favour the resulting break saw a penalty stroke awarded for the most spurious of reasons, Gorleston deliberately flicked wide.

As Crane grew ever more desperate, further room developed and when the final penalty corner went in it was game and season over for Crane in the most disappointing fashion.