Hares spring a surprise on Bloaters

Phil Banyard

Great Yarmouth's promotion challenge suffered a jolt with a surprise 4-2 defeat at March on Saturday.

The Bloaters paid the price for a poor first half showing and now stand four points behind leaders Newmarket and Godmanchester, who both won.

Goals from Norman and Ashley Brand gave March a two-goal cushion at half-time and Brand got his second nine minutes after the break.

Woodcock pulled a goal back for Yarmouth a minute later, but Brand soon completed his hat-trick to make it 4-1 to the Hares. Barclay notched the Bloaters' second on 68 minutes, but they were unable to initiate a comeback.

Lee Hunter's hat-trick provided the base for Gorleston's 5-1 thrashing of Saffron Walden at Emerald Park.

Ricci Butler and Harry Maddison completed the scoring for the Greens.

Thetford kept the pressure on struggling Swaffham with a 3-0 win at Shoemakers Lane.

Sam Bryant fired Thetford into the lead on nine minutes and Simon Mann went close to doubling the advantage but his shot rebounded off a post.

Greg Devlin lobbed the keeper on the stroke of half-time to make it 2-0 and Cary Clayton headed a late third.

Diss skipper Danny Partridge hit a first half double to help pile on the misery for bottom club Fakenham.

Partridge lobbed the Tangerines ahead after five minutes then latched onto a long clearance from keeper Ben Nower to fire a second on 22 minutes.

Diss had another strike chalked off for offside just before half-time and Fakenham gave themselves hope as Ben Darby got one back for the Ghosts after 65 minutes.

But within five minutes, substitute Steve Wright had restored Diss' two-goal advantage and with 15 minutes remaining, Alan North skipped past three challenges before sliding home to complete the 4-1 scoreline.

Downham remain in the bottom three following their 2-0 loss at Hadleigh.