Thurlow Nunn Premier Stowmarket Town 4 Gorleston 3 Stowmarket Town avoided a late scare to edge past 10-man Gorleston 4-3 and move two points clear at the top of the Premier Division, writes Alex Moss.
Josh Mayhew and Ollie Canfer both scored twice as the Old Gold and Blacks took a 4-1 lead at Greens Meadow.
But the Greens, who had seen defender Jackson Ramm shown a red card with the score at 3-1, fought back with goals from Joel Watts and Ross Gilfedder in the final 15 minutes to set up a nervy finish.
Gorleston threatened early on, mainly through set piece deliveries, with Ryan Fuller’s long throws particularly causing the Stow defence problems, before the deadlock was broken at the other end by the home side on 16 minutes.
A long ball forward was flicked on by the head of Canfer and sent Mayhew racing towards goal, and the striker made no mistake in finishing low into the far corner.
Stow’s advantage would not last long, though, as goalkeeper Callum Robinson came out of his goal to punch away a cross, but the ball fell to the feet of Nelson Carinhas who lobbed the ball into an empty net in the 28th minute.
For the remainder of the first half Gorleston looked the likelier to score next, but the hosts remained on level terms at the break and then struck twice early in the second half to regain control.
On 50 minutes, a deflection sent the ball into the path of Canfer volleyed home to put Stow back in front, and two minutes later it was 3-1 as Mayhew netted from the penalty spot after going down under Tom Coombe’s challenge in the box.
The Greens were reduced to 10 men just before the hour mark when Ramm was shown a red card for what appeared to be dissent, and Stow looked to have the points wrapped up after Canfer nodded from substitute Robbie Sweeney’s cross on 72 minutes.
But Gorleston were not prepared to concede defeat and, when Watts’ 76th-minute volley was followed up by Gilfedder’s strike in the 90th minute, Stow were nervously looking at the clock.
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