Goals from Michael Sommerfield, Nathan Stone and a deflected own goal wasn’t enough for Wroxham to come out as winners as Cheshunt’s marksman Jason Hallett stole the show with a hat-trick.

Nathan Pauling remained in goal for the Yachtsmen, Stephen Taylor stayed in front of Pauling at right back, and Lewis Sturman replaced Seamus Kelleher at left back. Ollie Ebbage returned to the starting line up at centre back, and replaced suspended Andy Howell. Ebbage was partnered by Matt Halliday. Jack Garrod returned to the Wroxham team after a lengthy absence, he replaced Jordan King and went straight in at right midfield. David Hinton was given the captains armband and played in his usual role in front of the back four. Michael Sommerfield retuned after 4 months out and started in the centre midfield spot. Danny Beaumont remained on the left hand side of midfield for the away side. Jamie Forshaw was replaced by Ashley Jarvis who partnered Nathan Stone to lead the Yachtsmen’s attacking threat. Jordan King, Jack Guyton, Matty Waters and Jordan Attree all started on the bench.

The home side started brighter, Jason Hallett’s shot in the first minute of the game was blasted over the bar, but was a warning about what the forward can do. However, the first save of the afternoon was made by Cheshunt’s Jayden Perdue, after Ashley Jarvis’s run down the left hand side forced the home keeper into a comfortable save. With 6 minutes gone Nathan Stone’s cross was blocked and the ball ran out for a corner. Jack Garrod stepped up and curled the ball into the box, and saw Michael Sommerfield pounce upon the ball, and saw his outstanding header rifle into the back of the net.

After the goal, the home side started to get more into the game creating a lot of chances, and keeping the ball well. Louis Bristow saw his free kick to the left of the box smashed high and wide, then only a few minutes later, the ball fell to Josh Cooper on the penalty spot, but was unable to get control of the bouncing ball and pulled it wide of the left post. Mid way through the first half following a Cheshunt corner, the Yachtsmen broke with pace, as Stephen Taylor drove forward down the right, he was then fouled but managed to toe poke a ball through to Ashley Jarvis, who got as far as the edge of the Cheshunt box but was brought down and won a free kick. Michael Sommerfield stepped up and smashed the ball from about 25 yards out, but the ball narrowly missed the top right hand corner of the net and went agonisingly close, but ran out for a goal kick.

However, at the death of the first half, a ball was whipped into the Wroxham box, and after a few errors in defence, Jason Hallett found himself in the 6 yard box with the goal gaping. The Cheshunt number 9 then headed home to pull back to 1-1 at half time. At half time Wroxham made their first substitution, Danny Beaumont was replaced by Jack Guyton who went on at left midfield.

Only a few minutes into the start of the second half, Wroxham found themselves in the lead again, this time an unlucky defensive error gave the travelling blues a 1 goal cushion, the ball was played in from the right hand side, and then put into the net by a Cheshunt defender. The Yachtsmen dominated the first parts of the second half. Stephen Taylor ran into space and up to the half way line before playing Ashley Jarvis through, however the forward wasn’t greedy and with defenders catching him up he then played the ball across to Nathan Stone who took a touch then fished tidily in the bottom left corner to give the away side a convincing 3-1 lead.

Mid way through the second half Jason Hallett won a free kick on the edge of the Wroxham box. The forward then smashed the free kick which looked set to fly into the net, but the heroics of Nathan Pauling kept the ball out and kept Wroxham’s 2 goal cushion intact. However only minutes after the free kick, the ball was switched from left to right as the ball again fell to Jason Hallett, and saw his back post header fly across the goal and go into the top left corner. The visitors then made their second change of the afternoon, as Jack Garrod came off and was replaced by Jordan King.

Only 2 minutes after coming off the bench, Jordan King was involved instantly, as his through ball was met by the on running Ashley Jarvis, and then as the player slid in Jarvis struck his shot and subsequently Jarvis was brought down after a late tackle, however no penalty was given and the Wroxham forward was asked to get up. With only a few minutes left on the clock, Cheshunt were pressing and forcing the Yachtsmen further and further back until another cross from the left hand side, saw the ball met at the near post by hat trick hero and league top goal scorer Jason Hallett who glanced the ball in with his head, and sank the Yachtsmen’s hearts with only a couple of minutes to spare.

Overall, a very good display from Wroxham was only good enough for a point. However the team can get a lot more positives than negatives from the performance. Jason Hallett was a class above everyone else on the pitch and his class shone through and gave Cheshunt a well earned draw. Wroxham were a lot more clinical than they have been, scoring 3 but not getting many chances in the process.

Report by Tom Wardle