A makeshift Wroxham team narrowly lost away at Waltham Abbey in horrendous windy conditions to drop into the relegation zone.

Elliot Pride remained in goal for the Yachtsmen, and was joined by Jackson Ramm and Joshua Gray who started at right and left full-backs. Lewis Sturman remained at centre back and was joined by the returning Gavin Lemmon who replaced an injured Daniel Foreman. Hinton and Taylor remained in the centre of midfield, with Jack Garrod starting on the right hand side replacing Jamie Forshaw and Seamus Kelleher starting on the left. Nathan Stone and Jordan Attree remained upfront. Jack Guyton, Jordan King and Cain Eagleton all started on the bench.

Waltham Abbey couldn’t have started the basement clash much better, as straight from kick off, a scrappy throughball saw Christian Assombalonga inside the box and unmarked. The Abbey forward then brushed the ball past Elliot Pride and into the back of the net within the first 15 seconds. The home side kept on pressuring the Yachtsmen, Assombalonga nearly had his second 5 minutes later, but his shot from the edge of the area was straight at Pride. The dangerous Abbey forward was causing all sorts of problems for the Wroxham defenders as he then managed to find space for another shot, this time around 30 yards out, however the player smashed the ball over the bar and out for a goal kick.

With 10 minutes gone, the away side finally managed to muster up there first chances of the game. The first coming from a David Hinton free kick, which was met at the back post by Lewis Sturman but the defender could only head the ball back across goal before it was cleared up the pitch by an Abbey defender. Wroxham came into the game and then looked to push forward again, Jackson Ramm managed to fool the Waltham Abbey leftside midfielder by spinning past him, however his pass through to Jack Garrod was intercepted by Daniel Rimmell to put an end to the Wroxham attack.

As Wroxham started putting the pressure on the home side, Abbey's Tom Wood picked up the ball inside the Wroxham half before sending the ball towards the goal, but it curled away and narrowly missed the top left corner of the goal. Gavin Lemmon then made a magnificent sliding tackle inside the penalty area, which stopped Assombalonga running through on goal.

The Yachtsmen then had a brilliant chance to get back into the game, Jackson Ramm’s defence splitting pass was met by the run of Jack Garrod who was fouled in the area just before the winger was about to pull the trigger. The winger himself stepped up and took the penalty and sent Aaron Omand the wrong way to the left of the Abbey keeper and into the goal to make it 1-1.

Assombalonga had two further chances to restore the lead for the home side, the first came with about 10 minutes remaining of the first half. A ball played forward was helped on by the wind and saw the Abbey forward’s attempted chip caught by Pride. 5 minutes later there was a replica of the chance minutes earlier, however this time Assombalonga tries to loop the ball with pace but was fantastically saved by the fingertips of Pride.

Waltham Abbey very nearly started the second half as they did the first, as a throughball held up for Assombalonga with the keeper to beat, but the forward couldn’t find the target and the ball rolled past the right hand post and out for a goal kick. David Hinton then tried an audacious volley from a long way out, but was caught by Omand just under the top left corner of the net.

Waltham Abbey then got there 1 goal advantage back. A mix up in the Wroxham defence as the ball was crossed through the area and allowed Ryan Flack to pounce on the ball before turning the Wroxham defenders and smashing the ball into the back of the net.

Minutes after the goal David Hinton saw his free kick fly centimetres away from the Abbey goal, before going out for a goal kick. 5 minutes later Jack Garrod’s run past 2 players saw him eventually get brought down on the edge of the area in a very promising position for the away side to find the equaliser.Josh Gray’s curling free kick was wonderfully lifted over the wall and looked as though it was curling away from Omand and into the top right hand corner, but the Abbey keeper was able to stretch and palm the ball away and out for a corner to Wroxham. Gray then took the following corner which was whipped in with pace, but all the Wroxham players failed to get anything on it and was cleared up the pitch.

Abbey then had two great chances to extend their lead. The first coming when Tom Wood’s shot following a corner was blocked on the line, then a great tackle from Lewis Sturman prevented Wood to get his shot off.

The Yachtsmen then made their first substitution of the game, as a disappointing Nathan Stone was replaced by Jack Guyton. It's understood that was Stone's final appearance for the Yachtsmen and not one that will live in the memory.

A few minutes after the substitution, Jack Garrod saw his free kick on the left hand side saved wonderfully by Omand again as the Abbey keeper stood up to the wind-assisted Wroxham onslaught.
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In the final stages of the game Wroxham were pushing to try and find the equalising goal. Stephen Taylor struck a half volley on the edge of the box, but the ball pulled wide left of the goal. 2 minutes later Seamus Kelleher latched on to a long Joshua Gray throw, but his header was somehow cleared off the Abbey line and out for a corner. Seamus Kelleher went close again, this time cutting in with is left foot from the right hand side, before his shot was nearly sliced in by a Waltham Abbey defender before spining wide of the left post. Gavin Lemmon then came off after 90 minutes and was replaced by Jordan King as Chris Wigger looked for a final push for an equalizer but time ran out on the Yachtsmen.

Overall the strong wind played a major part in the game as neither team were able to master the conditions. As Wroxham contemplated another defeat, dropping into the relegation zone, they will have to try to pick themselves up to go again on Tuesday night away at title chasing Harlow Town.