The statistics look grim for Great Yarmouth Town as the team suffered their seventh successive defeat, continued a run of four matches without scoring, and most crucially, are now mathematically guaranteed to finish in the bottom three positions in the league.

The Bloaters were up against a team in form, with five wins in their last seven matches, one of which was a 3-0 win against Yarmouth just a fortnight ago.

Returning to the side was defender Sam Giacomelli after injury and Nathan Kemp after suspension, whilst Jordan Forbes joined the list of absentees including Nando Vide, Sim Lee and Leighton Crux.

Haverhill started the better side, full back Jack Wilkinson forcing goalkeeper Ben Cudden into a save from the first meaningful chance of the game. Yarmouth did muster their first attack after twelve minutes, Portuguese striker Diogo Fernandes shooting over with a half volley, which was well struck.

Three minutes after that chance the deadlock was broken. Wilkinson burst forward again, crossed to Wilby who laid the ball off to Mark Abbott to shoot in the bottom corner with generally poor Yarmouth defending.

Haverhill continued to be on top in the first half, with seventeen-goal striker Cornwell out muscling Giacomelli but his eventual shot was well wide of Cudden's goal. Just a minute later Cornwell again had a chance after a through ball undone the static Bloaters' defence but yet again the shot went wide.

Yarmouth failed to learn from those chances in quick succession as the next minute saw a third chance, this time Abbott again slotting home as it all started to look too easy for Haverhill.

Cornwell continued to be a thorn in Yarmouth's side and Barnden dealt with the situation calmly by heading back to Cudden when the dangerous striker lurked for another chance.

Then a rare Yarmouth attack almost resulted in a third for the home side, Kemp put forward a good pass to Charlie McAra who won a corner. But from that corner, Haverhill produced a counter attack and Williams in the end did just enough to put off Calver as his effort went wide.

With half an hour played Haverhill were well on top with Cudden producing some fine saves but skipper Callum Jones was working hard in midfield and was trying to gee up his team mates to allow Yarmouth a chance to get back into the game. Both Barnden and Giacomelli in front of Cudden pulled off some good last ditch defending to keep the side in the game that Haverhill were threatening to run away with.

After the half-time break, the young Yarmouth team come out with more quality and gusto. The first chance they created was a good one, with McAra putting the ball through to Fernandes, the striker battled and bustled well and retained possession on the by-line and pulled the ball back for Kemp but Yarmouth's chance of the match was blazed over.

Just as a comeback looked possible, the home side put the game beyond doubt with a third goal, Calver peeled off Giacomelli, held the ball up and laid the ball back for an onrushing Higgs who finished. But yet again there seemed a lack of bodies back for the 118th goal conceded in the league this season.

George Barnden created a couple of chances for himself, the first the centre back ran down the left wing from his own half but his finish was wide of the target, then shortly after the centre back volleyed over from a corner which Fernandes did well to win.

On the 70 minute mark, Kemp was replaced by young Marian Jobbagy as manager Mike Derbyshire tried to get his side back into the game but alas that all important goalscoring touch remained elusive. Cudden continued to pull off some very good saves throughout the match and the full time score of 3-0 was probably a fair reflection of the game as a whole.

• Great Yarmouth: Cudden, Williams, Watkins, Jones, Giacomelli, Adamo, Popham, Barnden, Fernandes, McAra, Kemp (Jobbagy, 70). Unused sub: Hackleton. Booking: Jones. Att: 85