Tilbury were playing better on the boggy Trafford Park pitch and took the lead through a superb curling effort from Wood just before the half hour, the midfielder’s first time effort finding the top corner on the angle.

Danny White struck the bar with a header on 41 minutes as Wroxham searched for a riposte, before Stephen Taylor hit the post with a clever lofted effort on 70 minutes.

Kyle Baker then blazed over after wriggling free from eight yards out with three minutes to go, but Tilbury dug in to see the game out and send a body blow to Stewart Larter and his play-off hopefuls.

The defeat is Wroxham’s first in five games since New Years Day, with Brentwood Town – who defeated Waltham Abbey 3-2 – leapfrogging them into third place, although The Yachtsmen still hold a five point buffer between them and 6th place Dereham Town.

Wroxham made two changes from the side that beat Thamesmead Town on Saturday, with Danny Rust coming in for injured captain Andy Howell – with Matt Halliday taking over the armband – and Jack Garrod replacing Kyle Baker, who dropped to the bench.

The game started at a slow pace, with the tacky pitch underneath making it difficult for both teams to get any fluidity in their passing.

Tilbury arguably started the better, Francis Babalola scuffing a shot straight at Elliot Pride after a promising counter down the left, before Emiel Aiken had another effort on four minutes that he dragged wide.

Balls over the top seemed to be Wroxham’s best option, with Jamie Forshaw and Christy Finch both bursting down the left channel after good lofted through balls, only for the final ball to just be lacking.

Tilbury were looking dangerous going forward, playing with a confidence that belied their mid-table position.

Stephen Taylor provided the last ditch heroics on 12 minutes to deny Aiken - who was bearing down on goal after some superb hold up play from Neil Richmond – before Pride had to claw a 16th minute corner from under his crossbar with Joe Nightingill lurking.

The Dockers were playing the neater stuff out of the two and they took the lead they arguably deserved on 25 minutes.

Babalola did some superb running down the right wing, beating Danny Rust all ends up before finding Tom Wood on the corner of the box, the midfielder letting the ball come across his body before curling into the top left corner with a superb left footed strike.

This gave The Yachtsmen the wake up call they needed to get going, and they finally began to play some passes together as we reached the half hour mark.

A long ball from Matt Halliday on 31 minutes found Forshaw, who flicked the ball round the corner to find Danny White in behind, the midfielder taking the ball slightly wide before pulling his shot back across goal that Jack Giddens blocked, with Jack Garrod blazing the rebound over.

Most of Tilbury’s best moments were coming down the right – in particular from the dangerous Babalola – and another ball in from the right two minutes later caused panic in the Wroxham box, Taylor again saving the day at the last as he hooked Aiken’s flicked header off the line.

Wroxham needed inspiration from somewhere, Danny White trying to lead a comeback just before the interval with two close efforts.

The first was a superb flicked header on 41 minutes, White leaping highest to help Gordon’s free kick on with an effort that look destined for the top right corner, only for the ball to hit the bar and fly out.

The midfielder was in again two minutes later, picking up a pull back from Finch to take a touch and strike a dipping effort that was always curling away from the far post.

The Yachtsmen were looking to carry on this momentum going into the second half, but their passing was still leaving a lot to be desired.

A couple half openings almost saw them back – first Forshaw and then Hinton having goal bound efforts blocked – before Matt Halliday side-footed an effort just over the bar.

Wroxham were looking better going forward, but sloppiness at the back was letting Tilbury in, with Babalola missing a glorious chance on the hour mark to double their lead.

Halliday played a loose header that sparked a two-on-one situation, the ball rebounding off Price to let the winger through on goal, Babalola trying to square it before getting a second attempt from Pride’s block, only for his scuffed effort to be acrobatically blocked by Price on the line and into the goalkeeper’s hands.

This moment of madness was then followed by puzzling one, with referee Paul Burnham wandering over to the Tilbury bench and showing a red card to Harry Cook – seemingly for dissent - despite the Tilbury man not playing any part in the game.

Back on the pitch, Wroxham were trying their best to attack but were struggling, striking the woodwork again with a half chance from Taylor, the right back making the most of a high ball in to win the header and then lift his effort over Giddens and against the right post.

With the game entering the last ten minutes, the hosts began to dominate possession in search of an equaliser.

Despite controlling most of the ball, they were struggling to carve out anything clear cut, before Kyle Baker saw a sight of goal with three minutes remaining.

Some strong hold up play from Finch made space on the edge of the box for Baker to run into, the former Kirkley man wriggling through before sending an off balance effort high and wide from eight yards out.

And this would prove to be Wroxham’s last real chance as they huffed and puffed to no avail, with Tilbury getting over the line for a deserved three points.

Wroxham: Pride, Taylor, Rust (Guyton 76’), Hinton, Price, Halliday, Garrod (Baker 64’), White (Swatman 77’), Forshaw, Finch, Gordon

Subs not used: Imrie, King

Tilbury: Giddens, Webb, Cook, Nightingill, Smith, Wood, Babalola (Flack 70’), Carlile, Richmond (Johnson 90’), Martin (Daniel 82’), Aiken

Subs not used: Cook, Henty

Attendance: 135

Referee: Paul Burnham

Wroxham FC

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