JODY Brown kept his team locked in the Rosemary Lane dressing room for three-quarters of an hour after a game which had seen them squander a two-goal lead for the second week in succession.

Halstead's promotion hopes were dealt a damaging blow on Saturday by a Yarmouth team that has been improving of late, although much of that damage was self-inflicted.

Halstead's tactic, of sitting back and relying on breaks, looked for a lengthy spell like paying dividends.

Yarmouth enjoyed plenty of possession and territory, but until they were gifted three goals in a 12-minute second-half spell, created precious little.

Halstead, despite some atrocious passing at times, still managed to carve out chances, and really should have had the game wrapped up after an hour. Instead they were left to rue a number of wasted openings.

To his credit Brown didn't offer excuses. His reshuffled side held Yarmouth at arm's length without too much difficulty, until that sudden and surprising cave-in.

At 2-0 up, after 65 minutes, Halstead looked like winning the game. Keep Yarmouth out for another ten minutes or so and they were home.

Instead, three minutes after Chris Bryan's glorious second goal, Yarmouth were handed a lifeline, and the game turned.

Twelve minutes later, the visitors were in front. The fourth goal, five minutes from the end, was fairly predictable, with Halstead caught out chasing a game when they should have been digging in for victory.

Halstead got off to a great start. Ross Barton sent Bryan away in the fourth minute, and although Pride blocked at his feet, the ball broke kindly for Bryan to slot home between two defenders.

Bryan had another chance soon after, but crossed rather than took aim, and Barton was inches away from connecting later in the half after
Bryan's free kick caused chaos in the Yarmouth box.

In response Paul Rutherford had to tip over a long-range shot from Watt and an inswinging cross from Taylor. Those apart, the keeper wasn't troubled in the first half.

Halstead started the second half well, Bryan seeing a fierce free kick tipped over, and then beating Pride, but seeing his shot run inches wide of the far post, before grabbing his second in the 65th minute.

Barton and Tom Austin combined to set up Bryan, who shrugged off a challenge and cut into the box before firing a superb strike across Pride and into the far side of the net. Sheer quality.

Three minutes later all the good work was undone when Rutherford failed to hold a centre under a challenge from Roach, the ball ending in the net. The momentum from then was with Yarmouth.

In the 75th minute Sewell set up Bartley to beat Rutherford as Halstead's defence went missing.

Another five minutes later the unmarked Bartley's overhead kick beat Rutherford's despairing dive.

The fourth came from a counter-attack as Halstead pushed everyone up and Crawley was left in acres of space. Rutherford blocked the shot, but the rebound fell perfectly for Crawley to stroke into the unguarded net.

Halstead Town: Rutherford; Emory, Austin, Emerson, Battell, Saunders, Harper (Sandsford 69), Daly, Bryan, Barton, Cooper (Rayner 87). Subs (not used): Murfet, Rowell, Pollard.