Trafford Park was damp and grey, but the home team welcomed another new face to the ranks. Centre half Taylor Hastings joined the Yachtsmen on loan from Leiston as Damian Hilton looked to bolster a defence that had shipped 9 goals in the last 2 away games. Still rooted to the bottom, the Trafford Park faithful were cheered by the return of goalkeeper Elliot Pride. The defensive line up was completed by fullbacks Blake Saker and Tom Rampling and the other centre half Adam Plumstead.
In midfield wingers Armani Schaar and Craig Bussens with centre being fought over by captain Ben Lewis and Matt Cook with Jack Guyton just behind the striker Ross Gilfedder.
Tilbury kicked off shooting towards the Kenny Cooke stand and it was they crafted the first chance. Hastings was called into action to block a decent looking cross, but the ball dropped for Neil Richmond who put his effort wide with Pride alert to get out of his goal to narrow the angle. Tilbury remained on the front foot, and a further cross seconds later was met sweetly by full back Joseph Nightingill but his firm drive from the corner of the box flashed just wide of the angle.
On 8 minutes Wroxham showed that they too could make chances in the game. The ball played up to Gilfedder in the box, who was able to shield it then play it out to Jack Guyton 25 yards from goal his firm effort was on target, but straight at Dockers keeper Lee Butcher.
The early stages of the game were played out as a tight tussle in midfield, with Tilbury having the majority of the ball. On 14 minutes this Tilbury possession turned into a fabulous move. Some crisp interplay came to Richmond who played in the pacy Jack Barham. He was one on one with Pride who saved brilliantly, putting the ball behind for a corner. The resulting corner found Nightingill on the back post for a free header at goal, but this was cleared off the line by Rampling. Wroxham had been warned now about Balham's pace, but unfortunately for the Yachtsmen, they did not heed the warning.
The Yachtsmen still had chances. Gilfedder got the ball down the left hand channel and cut inside. He let go a shot but this was headed away from a busy penalty area.
On 17 minutes we had our first yellow card of a spasmodically physical game as Tilbury full back Conor Mead saw yellow for a robust challenge on Guyton. The resultant delivery from the free kick was easily gathered.
After 20 minutes Wroxham saw a great chance slip away. Gilfedder was played in, and he looked like he would beat the keeper to the ball to surely score, but as the hard working forward went to make contact he somehow missed the ball, and Butcher was able to clear to groans from the home support.
On 27 minutes Blake Saker earned the second yellow card of the day. Hastings missed his header, but Saker tucked in and looked to have cleared up the mistake, but ran into the electric Barham. Somehow, not only did Mr Walchester the referee think this was a foul, but a yellow too. This decision was greeted with many shrugs and head shakes of disbelief.
The game was a close battle, with Tilbury really only clearly ahead on corners . Jack Guyton doing his best to block one by taking the ball were it hurts, and every man in the crowd shared his discomfort.
On 38 minutes the game sparked into life. Wroxham were having a great spell, but in winning the ball in midfield the Dockers released Barham who beat Pride in a one on one at the third attempt of the day to score the opening goal.
Wroxham, not for the first time this season, showed great character and embarked on a 30 minute spell where they really took the game by the scruff of the neck. On 42 minutes the Yachtsmen were level. Bussens ball in from the left finished at the near post for Gilfedder whose slow motion header nestled in the net.
The half came to an end with Wroxham really snapping into the tackle and well in the contest which could have gone either way.
The second half got under way with the Yachtsmen having a great shout for a penalty. Guyton was played in by Rampling. Butcher came out of his goal but appeared to bundle into Guyton. The referee took the easy option here though and gave a free kick to the Dockers.
Wroxham continued their pressure with another chance. A free kick from the right found Hastings free, but he headed straight to Butcher. Eimel Aiken for Tilbury suffered a knock in the build up to this chance, and he would be the first substituted player of the day 5 minutes later by Lewis Francis.
During this great Wroxham spell Tilbury did fashion a break away chance. Francis played in for another one on one but Pride made a great one handed save to put the ball over the bar when Francis should have scored.
On 70 minutes Tilbury made a further change. Danny Norton coming off for Lewis Jaggs.
On 72 minutes Wroxham scored a fantastic goal through Tom Rampling to take a deserved lead. The young Wroxham player picked up the ball in midfield, beat 2 men and drove for the penalty area. He played a one two with Schaar and received the ball back in the Tilbury area where he smashed the ball into the roof of the net.
Sad to say the day would get no better for the Yachtsmen. They looked as though they tightened up in the knowledge now they had something to defend, but they could only hold the lead for six minutes. Again Jack Barham was played in, and again he bear Pride in a one one situation.
Over the next 10 minutes the Yachtsmen made all of their substitutions. Baughurst, Fowkes and Attree coming on for Cook, Guyton and Gilfedder respectively. Just after this last sub Tilbury had a great chance. A good cross into the Wroxham box led to a little head tennis, the ball fell for Jaggs who volleyed just wide.
The Yachtsmen responded with a nice move of their own culminating in Baughurst finding Schaar but his ball in was cleared with Wroxham attackers lurking.
Then came the heart breaker. With Wroxham pressing for a winner Barham was played in again, and he again beat Pride in a one on one and the ball dribbled in. With all of the Yachtsmen rivals losing it felt like a real opportunity wasted, but more than that, it felt like rough justice. Wroxham had pushed their visitors all the way, but the same old result followed.
So a good game, bad result, but some great individual performances to go with a great team effort. The Yachtsmen will have to go again with games running out to haul themselves out of the mire.