First Team claim big scalp in the Senior Cup defeating Gorleston 4-2 on penalties.

On the back of a disappointing home defeat to a spirited Beccles Town side, this game provided the first team with a perfect opportunity to show a positive response. Selfy and Thommo handed summer signing Jack Simpson his first start of the season and also had a bit of a reshuffle as John Curtis swapped defence for attack and Eliot Altay slotted in alongside Captain Sutcliffe in central defence.

Both keepers were called into action early on as Sam Freestone showed great reflexes to prevent an early own goal following a deflection off Foreman. Down the other end McKay picked up the ball on the left hand side and fired a shot on goal that Tom Wright did superbly to divert onto the bar. A few minutes later and Wright ensured the score remained level once again, this time denying the prolific Connor Ingram.

Wanderers then played their way up the pitch and forced a corner on eighteen minutes. Danny Self sent the ball into the mixer and it was met by none other than Eliot Altay who powered the ball past Freestone to give Mulbarton the lead. That's goal number eight for Eliot this season which is only one goal behind his tally of 2016/17.

Further Mulbarton pressure continued for the remainder of the first half as Selfy, Simmo and Hayden were controlling the game in midfield and went into half-time with a deserved lead.

Half-Time - Mulbarton Wanderers 1 - 0 Gorleston

Selfy and Thommo would have been delighted with the first half performance but equally we knew that Gorleston had the quality to find a response. Three minutes into the second half and that task got a lot tougher for the visitors as Self received the ball on the right hand side and lofted a deep cross into the box that found the head of John Curtis and thundered in off the underside of the bar. 2-0

Gorleston made the first change of the game five minutes later as Garrod was sent on in place of Burrage and he made an immediate impact. Fatadjo raced down the right and delivered a ball to the back post which was met by Garrod who nodded in to make it 2-1.

Chances followed for Thompson and Fatadjo before McKay had a goal disallowed as Ingram was flagged offside in the build up. Three minutes later and it was our turn to have a goal ruled out as Altay bundled home from a corner but the ref spotted a foul.

It was a period of end to end stuff and Gorleston found an equaliser through Ingram who reacted fastest to a Tom Wright save to prod the ball home.

Both teams had a couple of chances to win it but it was the greens who came closest as Garrod fired wide with two minutes remaining. We then moved into extra time and both teams were understandably tiring after putting so much into the game. Both teams carved out one clear cut chance apiece to win the game that were both missed and Garrod was fortunate to stay on the pitch after picking up a yellow card and escaping another. With neither side grabbing a winner the referee signalled the end of the game and it was time for penalties.

Full-TIme - Mulbarton Wanderers 2 - 2 Gorleston

Thompson, K. Ingram and Altay all scored their penalties. C. Ingram hit the outside of the post. Self scored to make it 3-1 and McKay then blazed his effort over. Youngster Watts then had a chance to win it for Mulbarton but his penalty was well saved before Garrod stepped up to make it 3-2. Hayden Gibbons then buried his penalty and sent Wanderers into the last 16.