The Yachtsmen took the lead through Matt Halliday’s 9th minute volley but despite the lead, the visitors were arguably the better side as Billy Hunt mistimed his touch when through on goal and Aaron Gayle forced Elliot Pride into a smart low stop.

Wroxham came out stronger in the second half and bagged their second on 50 minutes, Christy Finch sneaking in at the back post to slide home Remy Gordon’s lofted corner.

Hunt then struck the bar and had an effort cleared off the line as Heybridge threatened a response, but the hosts made sure of the points with two minutes left of normal time as Stephen Taylor deflected in another Gordon set piece to seal the win.

The score-line somewhat flattered Wroxham in what was a much tighter affair, with Heybridge testing the Wroxham back four on numerous occasions, with the home side’s defence – under the leadership of the ever-dominant Howell – managing to keep them at bay.

Stewart Larter’s men made one change from the side that defeated Swaffham Town 5-0 last Tuesday, with top-scorer Christy Finch returning at the expense of Nathan Stone.

The visitors started with more confidence than their league position stipulated, forcing a corner after just 20 seconds that came to nothing, whilst Wroxham were struggling in the opening exchanges to keep a foot on the ball.

However, The Yachtsmen soon began to settle and a corner of their own led to the opening goal with nine minutes gone.

Remy Gordon took it short to David Hinton, the Wroxham midfielder whipping in a first time ball that deceived Danny Sambridge with the aid of the wind to fall to Matt Halliday, the Wroxham centre back chesting it down before nonchalantly volleying into the empty net.

Wroxham were beginning to exert more control with the ball as the game passed the quarter of an hour mark, although their Essex counterparts were looking dangerous on the break with the wind at their backs.

One such attack almost led to a penalty for the visitors, Hinton swiping carelessly at Joe Pearman, with referee George Laflin judging the foul to have happened outside the box, with Chris Bryan blazing the free kick well over.

Jamie Forshaw had a shot blocked on the edge of the box as the hosts tried to penetrate a stern Heybridge defence once more, whilst Bryan headed wide from a drilled centre from the right wing in the visitors’ best opening.

The wind was beginning to play more of a part as the half progressed, with Heybridge benefitting more with it at their backs.

Wroxham – on the other hand – were feeding off scraps up top, Jack Garrod having a fizzing effort that looked destined for the back of net, only for Danny Barber to put in a fine block.

Heybridge were then gifted a golden opportunity on 32 minutes as Wroxham were caught in possession, sparking a three-on-two situation, Neil Richmond releasing strike partner Billy Hunt, with the front-man’s touch letting him down at the vital moment when free from ten yards.

With the game seemingly petering out towards half time with little action, it suddenly burst into life as both sides had chances in a frantic three minutes.

Wroxham started first, Finch seeing his effort strike the post and agonisingly roll across the line and out after a superb searching ball from Danny Rust, before Jack Garrod then had a deflected effort fly past the left upright.

Heybridge responded in turn, Halliday blocking superbly from Richmond at the back post after a 45th minute free kick wasn’t dealt with properly, before the resulting corner led to a scramble, with Aaron Gayle laying an effort towards goal that Pride got down to well, with handbags ensuing in the aftermath following a collision between the Wroxham goalkeeper and Michael Fitzgibbon.

Wroxham started the second half with the wind both at their backs and in their sails, doubling their advantage five minutes in as the unusually quiet Christy Finch netted his 22nd goal of the season.

Remy Gordon was the supplier, whipping in a high corner that beat everyone bar Finch, who snuck in at the back post to slide the ball through Sambridge’s legs and in.

The Yachtsmen had the bit between their teeth as they went searching for more, Jamie Forshaw bursting through straight from the resulting kick off only to fire his effort over the bar when one-on-one.

The front pairing of Forshaw and Finch were having more of a bearing as the half progressed, the former finding his strike partner with a lovely lofted ball on 55 minutes, the striker plucking the ball out of the air and striking towards goal, with Sambridge stopping smartly down to his left.

Despite Wroxham’s dominance, the visitors weren’t done and Hunt went close twice as the game passed the hour mark.

The striker collected a drilled ball in from the right before striking a superb effort towards goal, Pride reacting superbly to tip the ball over his head and onto the bar and out.

Hunt was then in the thick of it again two minutes later, beating a sliding Pride to the ball before lofting the ball over his head, Andy Howell reacting quickest to get back on the line and head the cross-cum-shot away from danger.

The game began to get disjointed, with a spout of cards for the away side due to their increasing frustration making for a scrappy period.

And the home side managed to see out any further threat from their opponents with a stern quality that has epitomised their season so far, sealing the win with Taylor’s 88th minute strike to make it five straight wins and send them to third in the table.

Wroxham: Pride, Taylor, Rust, Hinton, Howell, Halliday, Garrod (King 82’), White (Imrie 89’), Forshaw, Finch, Gordon

Subs: Price, Attree

Heybridge Swifts: Sambridge, Boswell, Barber, Griffin, Fitzgibbon, Gayle, Morgan, Pearman, Richmond (Dziadulewicz 74’), Hunt, Bryan

Subs: Glowacki, Howard, Beale

Attendance: 126

Referee: George Laflin