Norfolk Senior Cup holders Gorleston booked another Carrow Road date in a feisty 2-0 semi-final win that saw Norwich City’s Under-21s keeper Ellis Craven red carded on Wednesday night.
Craven was dismissed after the half-time whistle at Harrod Sport Arena, the FDC, following a spicy end to the opening period which saw the keeper race 60 yards to confront Greens’ players in a gathering scrum.
Adam Tann’s full-blooded challenge on Adian Manning in the final seconds of the first half turned up the heat, and the teams squared up immediately again after the half-time whistle.
Referee Matthewson had no hesitation in dismissing Craven, once calm had been restored, with bookings for Manning and Gorleston’s Craig Parker as well.
City attacking player Joe Duffy, who had the best effort prior to the break with a free kick that cannoned against the bar, took the gloves for Alan Neilson’s Canaries who had not named a back-up keeper on the bench.
The thoughts of Alan Neilson as we exit the Norfolk Hire Senior Cup ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/IQqeokTlIP
— Norwich City Academy (@NorwichCityAcad) April 10, 2024
Darren Cockrill’s side cashed in with Luke Johnson finishing a swift counter to beat Duffy before Tann sealed a Carrow Road return against Downham Town for the 18-time winners of the Senior Cup.
Neilson’s side included a trio of debutants from the club’s under-18s pool. While Elliot Myles and Gabe Forsyth were on the bench for Norwich, after recent international call ups for Wales and Scotland respectively at youth level.
Ken Aboh and Finley Welch featured earlier in the competition for the Canaries, but have now graduated to David Wagner’s senior squad.
Lewis Johnson’s cross forced City stopper Craven to dive full length to grasp a dipping ball, as Jacek Zielonka closed in during a bright start from the holders.
The young Canaries responded well, with Kenny Coker’s first time flick clawed away by Jake Jessup, after the City frontman had got in front of Greens’ centre back Joe Jefford.
Luke Johnson fancied his chances in a leg race with under-21s debutant Alfie Pinyoun before cutting infield to test Craven with a rising strike.
Full-back Pinyoun intelligently stepped into central midfield to thread a ball through for Coker in the 18th minute, who turned and hit a low shot in one flowing motion that Jessup watched as it veered wide of his left-hand post.
Regan Riley’s rangy running from deep was a growing feature for the Canaries, with the former Bolton prospect looking to link with Coker.
One such move saw the 20-year-old spin away from both Greens’ centre backs to collect Gabriel Keita’s threaded pass, but smack a rising shot over.
But Gorleston still carried a threat at the other end, and it needed Pinyoun to block Luke Johnson’s goalbound hit at the back post in the 24th minute, after Zielonka had escaped down the Greens’ right.
Ben Watt superbly whipped a diagonal ball into the feet of Pinyoun but the full-back’s cross flew right across the Gorleston six-yard box and out of play.
Back came the holders, with Lewis Johnson racing away from both Watt and Riley before unleashing a 20-yard strike Craven collected under his bar.
City captain Charlie Wilson hacked away Zielonka’s inswinging corner at his near post in the 38th minute with the Greens probing for a breakthrough before the interval.
Riley’s speculative effort from long range sailed well over Jessup’s bar at the other end.
Tann upended City striker Alex Roberts five yards outside the Gorleston penalty box, but Duffy’s swinging right footed effort crashed against the bar.
The spice in this semi-final was evident in first half stoppage time when Tann earned a lecture for a sliding challenge on Manning that saw players from both sides square up.
But after the half-time whistle the simmering tension between the two semi-finalists boiled over again, with Craven running 60 yards from his goal to haul a Gorleston player out of a pack of bodies.
Greens’ keeper Jessup then confronted his counterpart, as coaching staff from both sides entered the field.
Craven was summoned to the referee, who produced a red card and bookings for Manning and Gorleston’s Parker, with Duffy donning the gloves for the Canaries after the interval.
Joe Duffy's thoughts on tonight's defeat to Gorleston 👇 pic.twitter.com/gpB9PbQCPu
— Norwich City Academy (@NorwichCityAcad) April 10, 2024
Manning escaped down the left and conjured a teasing cross that just evaded Coker.
Ismael Fatadjo slammed a shot against the base of Duffy’s near post, after indecision in the Canaries’ backline, and the Greens made their numerical advantage count in the 64th minute when Luke Johnson’s pace took him clear and he rolled a composed finish past Duffy.
Neilson went for the attacking threat of Myles, Forsyth and Errol Mundle-Smith in a triple substitution in the 72nd minute in a bid to get back in the tie.
Mundle-Smith skied over at the back post within minutes of his arrival, after Gorleston failed to deal with Myles’ cross.
But after Kieran Higgs saw his shot blocked a minute from time, Tann rose to head the corner past Duffy.
Gorleston: Jessup, Lewis Johnson (Pollock, 87), Frary, Jefford, Tann, Luke Johnson, Fatadjo (Curtis, 75), Docherty ©, Keys, Zielonka (Higgs, 75), Parker. Subs (not used): Ingram, Matthews.
Bookings: Zielonka, Parker
Goals: Luke Johnson (64), Tann (89)
Norwich City U21s: Craven, Pinyoun, Williams (Forsyth, 72), Keita, Wilson ©, Watt, Manning, Riley (Myles, 72), Coker, Roberts (Mundle-Smith, 72), Duffy. Sub (not used): Djedje.
Bookings: Coker, Manning, Forsyth
Sending off: Craven
Referee: Dario Matthewson
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here