Wroxham's play-off hopes ended

The Millers had the wind at their backs from the off and started the livelier of the two, going 1-0 up on 30 minutes thanks to Sam Knott’s thunderous 25 yard free-kick.

Remy Gordon then equalised on the stroke of half time with a cool finish, before The Yachtsmen tried to use the blustery conditions to their advantage at the start of the second half in an attempt to take the lead.

Jamie Forshaw went close twice – with Remy Gordon also side-footing an effort past the post – as Wroxham searched in vain for a winner.

And these missed chances would prove crucial as Aveley capitalised on the home side’s attacking approach with seven minutes left as Retkoceri fired past Elliot Pride to steal the win.

In truth, The Yachtsmen failed to rise the occasion in a game where only a win would do to keep their play-off ambitions alive, and despite creating in fits and starts, their lack of attacking potency was ultimately their undoing in a tired performance.

Stewart Larter made one change from the side that drew with Heybridge last weekend – with Ben Price coming in for the injured Matt Halliday – but they soon had to reshape as top scorer Christy Finch was forced off after five minutes with a badly twisted ankle.

This didn’t seem to affect The Yachtsmen, with Jamie Forshaw going close two minutes later after some slick play from Jordan King and Kyle Baker releasing the front-man, who could only strike across goal and wide on the angle.

The wind was blowing in the away side’s favour, and they began to take advantage of it as the game reached the ten minute mark as they went close twice.

Midfielder Robbie Farrell skewed an effort over the bar after finding himself in a good position in front of goal, before Luke Stanley then struck off target after some good running from Theo Ola.

The visitors had settled well and began to dominate proceedings, Liam Nash slicing wide after Ola’s 18th minute free-kick found its way to him, before the latter had an long range effort that look destined for the back of the net, only for Andy Howell to divert the ball away from dangerous with a brilliant header.

Wroxham were struggling to mount many attacks, Remy Gordon creating the best of these with 24 mintues gone as he broke into the Aveley box, only for Matt Bakare to put in a crucial block as the winger was about to pull the trigger.

With the Millers looking the more likely in front of goal, it was no surprise when they took the lead with half an hour gone.

After Billy Holland was fouled 25 yards from goal, left back Knott stepped up to lash a stunning effort past the sprawling Pride and in via the underside of the crossbar to give the visitors the lead.

This goal stunned the hosts, but they managed to get themselves back into it just before the break as Gordon struck.

A lovely slide rule pass from David Hinton split the Aveley back four and found Gordon, the winger advancing on the Aveley goal before coolly sliding past David Marrable to level matters.

This goal gave Larter’s men the catalyst they needed to push on at the start of the second period and they began to pressure Aveley for the first real time in the game.

Forshaw was the first to try and impose, the striker going clean through but could only fire straight at Marrable.

Gordon then had a chance to double both his personal and the team’s tally on 54 minutes but could only side-foot past the post.

Forshaw was looking to most likely for Wroxham as the continued to search for the lead, the striker skewing an effort across goal from an acute angle, before the striker drove the ball across from the wing on 67 minutes that deceived everyone and was begging for a touch that never came.

Despite this improvement from Larter’s men, they were unable to find that final ball as the game began to tighten up, with much of the play becoming confined to midfield.

In an attempt to find another gear, Larter changed formation and went to a back three to try and give his men more impetus in attack.

Unfortunately, this had the adverse effect as Aveley began to find more space, something they exploited with seven minutes to go to retake the lead.

Retkoceri was the man in the right place at the right time, collecting a forward pass before weaving past two Wroxham defenders and slamming home from 18 yards to make it 2-1.

This really knocked the stuffing out of Wroxham – with Pride having to be alert to block two further efforts from the visitors in the dying moment – and Stewart Larter’s men ultimately succumbed to a defeat that ends their play-off hopes, dropping them to 8th in the table in the process.

Wroxham: Pride, Taylor, Rust (Swatman 80’), Hinton, Howell, Price, Baker (Garrod 70’), White, Forshaw, Finch (King 5’), Gordon

Unused: Guyton

Aveley: Marrable, Bakare, Knott, Baker, Harrison, Stanley (Elliott 78’), Farrell (Stephenson 68’), Holland, Nash (Scott 84’), Ola, Rektoceri

Unused: Oluwatimilehin, Essuman

Attendance: 126