Yarmouth secured a rare clean sheet with a 4-0 success over Debenham, their third home league win in succession in 2011 after none at all before Christmas.

Gavin Norman captained the side for the first time and led from the front, scoring the opening goal after ten minutes after a Jake Reed shot had been parried by the visiting ‘keeper.

Reed himself was on fire, gliding past defenders at will. He increased Yarmouth’s lead after 23 minutes, fooling left-back back Chris Sadler before slipping the ball under ‘keeper Louis Johnson’s dive.

Last-but-one Debenham had little to offer but did have a chance when Ed Cussons sent in a well-aimed 35 yard free-kick but Jake Jessup, deputising for the suspended Michael Hilton, made a great catch.

Reed, the Bloaters’ top scorer, then notched his second and the game’s third goal in the 39th minute when he latched onto a Fernando Vide centre and bamboozled right-back Grant Monaghan to score at the far post.

Yarmouth continued to dominate in the second half, with Scott Woodcock continuing his fine form of late. Chris Duffy, up from the defence, connected with one Woodcock corner but his headed effort flew millimetres wide of the post.

Jessup was enjoying a fine game and very little got past him, taking the ball off the head of the dangerous Stu Jopling, then collecting a fierce Ian Gedny shot in the midrift.

Woodcock should have scored in the 73rd minute latching onto a big clearance but Johnson kept his cool to claim the ball. -

In a rare attack from the visitors, Debenham’s best effort of the game came from Gedny but his angled shot just passed the far post with Jessup for once beaten.

Yarmouth had to wait until the 90th minute for the icing on the cake, when Reed supplied Woodcock who ran in and easily beat Johnson.

A very satisfied Paul Tong (Yarmouth manager) said: “I had some hard decisions to make today, leaving out Glen Spooner who’s done great, and Olly McCarthy, but their day will come. Gavin Norman led the line tremendously and at the back Gareth Palmer made a big difference.

“Jake Reed was magnificent, six goals now in the last six games, and one of the best players I have personally worked with, awesome. We were gutted to lose Olly Savage to Wroxham but we wish him well.

“Joe Bell came in, played his first 90 minutes for months, and did well in that role. We now have some tough games coming up but I have complete faith in the players, and I am positive that we will achieve our aim of survival in this division.”