Wroxham lined up on a cold, crisp afternoon with Pride in goal, Guyton, Rampling, Halliday and captain Matt Cook in defence. Midfielders Baughurst, Nyadzayo, Lewis, Datacampol and Katabana servicing hard working Ross Gilfedder up front.
The early part of the afternoon had a quiet feel due to a worrying incident at 2-30 pm. VCD Athletics Substitute Jack Stevenson went down on the centre spot clutching his knee during the warm up. The noise he made was a clear sign that he was in difficulty and he was shortly stretchered off the pitch. He was upright again before the match started, albeit on crutches and we wish him a speedy recovery.
Wroxham won the toss and decided to stay defending the car park end and the Vickers got the game underway. And it was they who had the first chance of the day. Captain Derek Duncan back heeling to get the lively Mekhi McLeod away down the Vickers right and his ball in found Tyrus Gordon-Young, but his effort was straight at Pride.
Wroxham were next to push for a goal. Gilfedder showed good running down the channel and he crossed the ball in, but it was too long. Katabana however collected the ball and crossed in again, and his centre hit the top of the bar returning to Gilfedder. Another cross found Datacampol but his effort as just wide.
For VCD McLeod and Gordon-Young were linking well. This time McLeod's ball in found the centre forward in the centre of the goal, but the scrambling Pride was able to make a fantastic save to keep the scores goalless.
On 10 minutes The Yachtsmen opened the scoring. Nyadzayo did well in midfield and fed Gilfedder on the Wroxham right, and he got the ball back to the advancing number seven. Nyadzayo then cut inside the full back and unleashed a shot from the right hand corner of the penalty area which nestled low in the left corner of the goal, beating the flaying Niklas Freund in goal.
VCD came on strong for 5 minutes after the goal but were unable to fashion a clear chance. When a chance did come it was from a Wroxham free kick on 19 minutes. A great delivery from the reliable James Baughurst found Gilfedder and his cushioned header found Katabana, who volleyed over. This great play was unfortunately offside but Wroxham were still on top.
On 21 minutes the industrious Gilfedder won a corner on the left hand side. The ball in was flicked on by Cook and Datacampol was no more than 6 inches from making it two.
On 24 minutes the Vickers were able to get a sight at goal. Kris Newby cut in from the left, and had a shot from the edge of the area. This was straight at Elliot Pride who watched it carefully into his grasp.
Tom Rampling was having a good tussle with Mekhi McLeod, but the full back Tchonang overlapped on 28 minutes and Rampling was unable to prevent a delivery into the box. But typifying a great defensive display, Halliday was covering and was fouled, and so the danger was again dealt with.
Gilfedder was however giving the VCD defenders many more problems. On the half hour the ball was played up to him on the edge of the box, where he was able to hold off his man and get the ball down. It was at this point that Derek Duncan, his marker, cut him down for a free kick. The resulting effort that Gilfedder took himself took a deflection and narrowly went past the post with the keeper a mere spectator.
Wroxham were starting to play really well as an attacking four, with Gilfedder at the point of a fluid diamond including Katabana, Nyadzayo and Datacampol. It was Datacampol who next had a chance to shoot. Katabana linked well with Gilfedder, but the big number 10's snap shot was high, wide and not very handsome.
The half finished with Wroxham laying siege to the goal at the Kenny Cooke end. Gilfedder was fouled by Joe Bruce which allowed for another great delivery from Baughurst, The keeper had a flap and was unable to hold on, but no one could get on the end of it. As VCD tried to clear they could not find an out ball, so The Yachtsmen came again. This time Nyadzayo beat his full back and tried to lay it on a plate for Gilfedder. The ball was a bit behind the striker so he tried an audacious flick which did not quite connect. The ball came out again to Katabana but he was up ended by Connor Hogan who saw yellow for his trouble. This free kick was played in dangerously again to be spilled by the goalkeeper, but on this occasion hacked to safety.
And so the half finished with this great play from The Yachtsmen who would have felt pleased with their efforts, but given their recent trials a one goal lead felt very slender.
Wroxham kicked off the second half, but they took a little while to get back up to the work rate and desire of the first half. As a result the Vickers had a period of possession and territory but never really looked like turning this into chances. During this period of pressure VCD won a dangerous free kick central to the Wroxham goal when Baughurst pulled down Mitch Hahn. Kris Newby placed the ball and looked to line up a shot from 25 yards plus, but was only able to screw a shot high and wide of the goal.
On 56 minutes Wroxham went 2 to the good. VCD continued to attack and probe but hit a blue defensive wall as they did all afternoon. On this occasion the wall was in the form of Mathew Halliday and it was from his lofted clearance that cleared the VCD defence they doubled the lead. The ball fell into the run of Cruise Nyadzayo who deftly lifted the ball over the advancing keeper and then back down under the bar to send his team mates on the bench and the faithful in the bar into raptures.
Following this goal the Vickers made their first change. Marc Gobell came off for the much travelled Jamie Guy. This however did not stem the momentum of the match which was going strongly in the direction of the Yachtsmen. Even when VCD could carve out a gilt edge chance with McLeod again setting up Gordon-Young, their luck was out and the close range effort squirmed wide. Unlike recent weeks, Wroxham were alert to the warning and acted upon it.
More great and solid defending again saw a lofted clearance, but this time it was Gilfedder who was able to run clear of the defence, take a touch and then confidently stroke the ball home for Wroxham's third goal.
On 64 mintues came the goal of the game. Again coming out of defence on the counter attack, Katabana and Datacampol linked up slickly, and it was Katabana who then sprayed a glorious cross field pass into the path of the unmarked Nyadzayo. He again took a great first touch and finished with aplomb into the bottom left hand corner of the goal.
On 69 minutes, Captain Matt Cook was replaced by Robbie Sweeney. Manager Hilton having half an eye on the battles that lay ahead, and this proved to be a wise move as the Yachtsmen were still able to see the game out for a deserved clean sheet to go with their four goals. VCD gamely battled on to the end, but when they hit the post in the last minute they knew for sure it had been just one of those days.
A deserved 3 points for The Yachtsmen and a Man of the Match performance to remember for Cruise Nyadzayo. But its on to the next game for Wroxham as 17th placed Soham Town Rangers come to Trafford Park on Tuesday and it could be the ideal chance to make it 6 points from 6 as Damian Hilton tries to plot a course back to safety.