Reporting by Tom Wardle

A Matty Waters wonder goal 10 minutes into the second half wasn’t enough to earn Wroxham any points as the Yachtsmen sail home from Kent with nothing as Cray win 3-1 to bring an end to Wroxham’s unbeaten run.

Wroxham made three changes from the team that beat Great Yarmouth in a convincing 4-1 win. Elliot Pride remained in goal, Stephen Taylor, Matt Halliday and Ollie Ebbage all remained at the back but new signing Daniel Foreman came in at left back. David Hinton was replaced by Lewis Sturman in the centre midfield spot. Jack Garrod was replaced by Seamus Kelleher on the left hand side of midfield. Matty Waters kept his place on the right and was joined by Michael Sommerfield also in midfield. Nathan Stone was replaced by Jack Guyton who dropped just behind Jamie Forshaw who pushed upfront.

Wroxham started off on the front foot, in the first minute of the game Seamus Kelleher saw his touch roll on to the keeper from what was a promising position. Daniel Foreman then took a quick free kick to Matty Waters , Waters was then fouled on the edge of the area before going into the box. Foremen then took a short corner to Waters, who crossed in a teasing ball, but was headed away by Aryan Tajbakhsh. Elliot Pride was then called into action, Leigh Bremners shot down to the left was well kept out by the Wroxham number 1.

Seamus Keller then won a free kick in a very promising position for the Yachtsmen, after a run from deep saw Ray Powell bring the midfielder son just before progressing in the box. Jamie Forshaw stepped up and crossed the free kick but was cleared by Bremner , but only as far as Seamus Kelleher whose vicious shot was blocked. Cray then had a few good chances to find an opener, firstly a ball forward was fantastically controlled by forward Andre McCollin, but ran on forward for Pride, then a few minutes later a cross field ball into the box from Grant Basey was very nearly met by Bremner sprinting in the box, but he failed to reach the ball.

Michael Sommerfield then then saw a fantastic ball to Seamus Kelleher controlled and then rolled across the six yard box to Jamie Forshaw who stuck it into the back of the net, but Kelleher was judged offside. Then up the other end, Michael Frieter saw a cross from the right hand side met by the sliding foot of James Duckworth who made it 1-0, with only 10 minutes left of the half. Michael Sommerfield then had a brilliant chance to equalise just before the end of the half, after a weaving run from Seamus Kelleher saw him get fouled on the edge of the box. However, Sommerfield couldn’t replicate his goal from mid-week as the ball narrowly missed the right hand post. Matty Waters then saw a great shot saved down to the keeper’s right just before the whistle.

Wroxham started the opening first minutes of the second half fantastically well, Elliot Pride saw his free kick cleared before the ball reached the free head of Matt Halliday. Stephen Taylor then saw a brilliant cross fly past the goal mouth and out for a corner. Cray then started to get back into their stride, a Andre McCollin shot was pulled well wide of the left post before a Michael Frieter shot was deflected off Ollie Ebbage on the edge of the six yard box. Following the corner from Duckworth, Ben Payne’s flying header didn’t trouble Pride and rifled over.

Then with 57 minutes on the clock, Matty Waters picked the ball up on the edge of the area, the winger then showed some mesmerising skill to find space on his left foot before curling the ball perfectly into the top left hand corner of the net to get the Yachtsmen back level. However the home side pushed on after the goal and saw to chances in quick succession from Andre McCollin and Sean Roberts both miss the target. Wroxham then had a few very good chances to go 2-1 in front. A counter attack from the away side saw Jamie Forshaw receive the ball on the half way line, the forward then played the ball wide right to Stephen Taylor who crossed in but his cross was chested back to the keeper. Then Wroxham made their first substitution of the game as Jordan King came on and replaced Lewis Sturman.

Jordan King was instantly involved, picking the ball up just outside the box and forcing a good save from Cray keeper Nick Blue. With 15 minutes remaining the home side restored their lead, as a ball was played through the defence and into the path of substitute Ben Hunt who kept his cool and finished to the right of Pride in goal for Wroxham. Wroxham then had a brilliant chance to equalise, after a long ball over the top of the Cray defence was met by the toe of Jamie Forshaw whose shot went agonisingly close to the bottom right corner. Then with 9 minutes remaining Cray added a third goal to their tally, as a through ball again saw a replica of the second goal as ben Hunt finished well to give the current top of the league side a well earnt 3 points. Straight after the goal Andy Howell and Charlie Norman came on and replaced Seamus Kelleher and Matty waters.

Overall, Wroxham put in a fine performance against the first place side and made them look very ordinary. The yachtsmen deserved at least a point in the game, but Ben Hunt was the difference in quality between the two teams. However with the absence of a few key players Wroxham more than held their own against a very strong side.