Stow Town Reserves only had themselves to blame as they slumped to a 4-1 defeat against Gorleston.

The home side competed with the Greens in the first 20 minutes, which was an open, end-to-end affair. 

But Stow's fledgling starting XI - with an average age of 19 and the oldest player a sprightly 21 - were no match for Gorleston's more experienced side with a sprinkling of first teams by the final whistle.

The first signs of the sloppiness to come gifted Gorleston a goal after 23 minutes. Stow failed to react to a half-cleared right-wing free-kick leaving a visiting centre back to squeeze home a shot from eight yards.

Stow equalised within five minutes though as Will Phoenix nudged Jamie Sharp's centre goalwards and Stan Evans helped the ball over the line from a seemingly offside position.

But the host's were giving the ball away too often, giving Gorleston too much time on the ball and dropping too deep.

It resulted in Gorleston regaining the lead deep into first half stoppage time when a powerful run down the left ended with an easy headed goal at the back post.

The second half started as badly as the first ended for Stow as Gorleston's Bond volleyed home emphatically from the edge of the box after the home side only half-cleared a corner.

Stow switched from 4-4-2 to 3-5-2 to search for a way back into the game but made little headway.

Two of the few bright spots for Stow came in the form of subs Grant Barrett, who improved Stow's sluggish and wasteful passing, and Gary Coplin, who would have scored on his home debut had it not been for a smart save from the visitor's keeper.

Gorleston completed the scoring when a deep cross from the left wing was headed unchallenged back across the goal for a simple tap in.