Ridgeons League Great Yarmouth Town won 6-0 at Downham to get within one point of securing promotion, all the goals coming in the first half including what may have been the fastest hat-trick in the Bloaters' history from Jake Reed.

Ridgeons League

Great Yarmouth Town won 6-0 at Downham to get within one point of securing promotion, all the goals coming in the first half including what may have been the fastest hat-trick in the Bloaters' history from Jake Reed.

Stewart Roach opened the floodgates with a neat shot from the edge of the area after 23 minutes, then Reed notched three in six minutes.

He scored in the 31st minute after beating a defender on the edge of the box, his second came two minutes later - a volley after Roach nodded down to him - and the third came in the 37th minute, another blast from the edge of the area.

Between Reed's second and third goals, Craig Roberts got in on the scoring frenzy with a header following a corner.

A Dominic Smith shot hit the bar before Scott Woodcock made it the half-dozen with the strike of the game from 30 yards in the 41st minute.

After this sparkling champagne football, the second half fell a bit flat.

In the Premier Division, Norwich United manager Paul Chick asked for a response after Monday night's Norfolk Senior Cup final disappointment, and he got it.

Ricci Butler's goal was enough to secure a home victory over Hadleigh United.

“That was as one sided a 1-0 scoreline as I have seen all season. But for poor finishing it would have been much more comprehensive” said Chick after his team's victory had elevated the Planters up to 13th, their highest position since September.

Justin Fox twice released Lee Hunter down the right with no joy, but it was third time lucky for the midfielder as he put Butler in down the left, and after his initial shot was blocked he made no mistake with the rebound to finally break the deadlock in the 63rd minute.

Dereham Town reached the 50 league points mark with their 3-1 home win over Stanway Rovers.

Dereham lost Craig Terrington to a knee injury after just 16 minutes but on 22 minutes Scott Roberts put Danny Beaumont through to put Dereham in front. Jay Eastoe-Smith touched home Beaumont's free-kick in time added onto the first half.

Stanway pulled a goal back on 52 minutes through Alan Clark, but were reduced to 10 men on the hour when Ross Norfolk received two yellow cards within five minutes of each other for shirt-tugging offences.

The Magpies restored their two-goal advantage in the 80th minute when Nicky Howell guided home Beaumont's early cross.

Kirkley & Pakefield dropped eight points behind the top three after a 3-1 defeat at Wisbech.

Wroxham dented CRC's title hopes with a 1-0 win at Trafford Park, Steve Spriggs the marksman.

There was a seven-goal feast at Histon Reserves where Mildenhall won 4-3.

In Division One, Jordan Rocastle scored the only goal of the game in the 40th minute to extend Diss' fine unbeaten run to nine games at Halstead.

At March, Swaffham suffered a 5-1 reverse after again being slow out of the blocks, allowing March's No 8 Luke Pepper to head in unchallenged from a free-kick.

In the ninth minute a penalty gave Pepper his second. A glimmer of hope came for the Pedlars with Richard Cornwall chipping the keeper from 22 yards, the best goal of the match, the shot skimming the underside of the bar.

The Hares bagged their third in the 47th minute in a goalmouth scramble. The fourth followed in the 55th minute, Michael Cozens seeing red for handling on the line, Pepper converting the penalty to secure his hat-trick.

A volley from Swaffham's Kyle Plumb hit the intersection of the bar and post in the 67th minute. The final nail in the coffin came in the 71st minute, a well executed break resulting in a tap-in.

Gorleston beat visitors Whitton 1-0 while Thetford lost 3-1 at FC Clacton and Fakenham lost 4-0 at leaders Brantham, their fourth match in a week as they continue a fixture catch-up period which is stretching the bottom club's resources to the limit.