Last gasp Stanley breaks Wroxham hearts

Soham were playing the better of the two teams and deservedly went ahead on 22 minutes, Dan Brown volleying home Alex Luque’s ball in.

Luke Stanley then headed straight at Elliot Pride when free from eight yards as Soham continued to press, and they made it 2-0 on 35 minutes, Joey Abbs ghosting in at the back post to tap in unmarked from Matt Simpson’s ball in.

Wroxham battled back in it in the second half, Andy Howell bagging a 55th minute volley to give hope, before Remy Gordon made it 2-2 on 67 minutes with a drilled effort.

But it was all in vain as Soham stole it at the death, Stanley heading past Pride to snatch a dramatic victory in a pulsating game.

The Yachtsmen made two changes from the side that lost to Needham Market last weekend, with Sam Harty and Ben Price replacing David Hinton and Danny Rust.

The visitors made the better start, with some neat and tidy possession in the opening exchanges.

They fashioned the first real opening on four minutes, a long ball finding Joey Abbs, who held the ball up well to lay in Luke Stanley who laced his effort wide of the right hand post.

Wroxham were struggling to get a foothold on the ball, with Christy Finch striking an isolated figure up top.

The front-man did have a couple glimpses, lashing an effort wide on 10 minutes, before some superb work down the left wing found Nathan Stone, who drilled his effort across goal and wide.

Soham’s front pairing of Stanley and Abbs were causing problems for Wroxham’s back four, the two players linking up well to find Dan Brown on the left on 19 minutes, the winger lashing an effort towards goal that Elliot Pride palmed away well.

If that was the warning shot, The Yachtsmen didn’t learn from it and Brown was in again three minutes later to give his side the lead.

A high looping ball from in from Alex Luque found Brown waiting free at the back post again, the Soham midfielder calmly volleying home first time from six yards to make it 1-0.

The visitors were opening Wroxham up time and time again at the back, with Stanley missing a golden chance on 27 minutes to double the lead, the striker finding himself free from 8 yards out to head Abbs’ cross in straight at Pride when he should have done better.

Wroxham were struggling to pick up the runners from the Soham midfield, and they opened them up again on 35 minutes to make it 2-0.

Brown was again in the thick of it, the winger crossing for Matt Simpson at the back post to slide in and play it back across the six yard box to find Abbs waiting, the striker tucking it into the back of the empty net from two yards.

Pride had to save well from another Stanley effort as Soham smelt blood, whilst Wroxham were trying down the other end, Stone slicing an effort after being found by Finch from 10 yards out in their best opening of the half.

Soham picked up where they left of at the start of the second half, Price finding himself in the right place at the right time to clear Jordan Gent’s 46th minute header off the line.

They were in again six minutes later, Price misjudging a long ball to let Simpson in at the back post, the winger sliding his effort past Pride and just past the right hand post.

Wroxham were looking for inspiration, and they found it on 55 minutes through skipper Andy Howell.

The defender was found free from Jamie Forshaw’s corner, having two bites at the cherry before acrobatically scissor-kicking high into the net from eight yards.

The goal gave Wroxham the boost they needed and they began to put Soham under pressure for the first real time, Finch and Stone linking up well with Luque providing a great last ditch tackle to deny the former.

The game was beginning to get stretched as both sides pushed forward, Simpson sending in a cross from the right that deceived Pride and struck the bar.

Wroxham were finally looking dangerous in attack and they got back on level terms on 67 minutes, Remy Gordon finding the back of the net.

Forshaw supplied him with the pass, the winger running onto it to take a touch and drill home from just inside the box.

Wroxham were looking good and they thought they had completed the turnaround three minutes later, Stone tapping in from Finch’s saved effort, only for the assistant to raise his flag.

Despite Wroxham’s prominence in attack, they had to be wary of Soham’s own bursts forward and they were indebted to Pride on 80 minutes as he kept things level with a superb bit of goalkeeping.

The ‘keeper first stopped Sharman with a sliding save, before the midfielder powered a firm header towards goal that Pride expertly tipped away. Matt Halliday then blocked another effort on the line, before Simpson side-footed just over in a heart stopping 60 seconds of play.

But it would all be in vain as Stanley's last ditch heroics broke Wroxham hearts, the striker finding space from eight yards out to head home and claim the victory.

Wroxham: Pride, Taylor, Price, Harty (Garrod 78’), Howell, Halliday, Forshaw (Imrie 87’), White (King 81’), Stone, Finch, Gordon

Subs not used: Rust, Attree

Soham Town Rangers: Ordonez, Luque, Monk, Sharman, Gent, Bromwich, Simpson, Asensi, Abbs, Stanley, Brown (Davis 78’)

Subs not used: Ofori-gyasi, Gutierrez, Hart

Referee: Martyn Holmes

Attendance: 228