Wroxham went down again at home, but they showed great spirit to stage a stirring fightback that they came so close to completing writes Darren Wiseman.

A beautiful Norfolk afternoon greeted the two teams at Trafford Park this afternoon. Wroxham manager David Coyle had the most difficult of tasks - to motivate his already relegated charges to one more effort. He needed to tap into their pride, and look to the future as he tries to find pieces for next seasons puzzle. On this vein Coyle started a son of a former Yachtsman, goalkeeper Harley Lemmon. Full back Charlie Norman returned for the Yachtsmen from a period in America with the faithful hoping that being free of the scars of a painful season they could have a positive impact. They started in defence along side stalwarts Matt Halliday Adam Plumstead, and the more established youngster Tom Rampling.

In Midfield the Yachtsmen plumped for Jack Guyton and Captain Ben Lewis with Craig Bussens and Matt Cook out wide and Danny Rogers just behind Number 9 Ross Gilfedder.

Ware kicked off the match shooting towards the Kenny Cooke stand in front of decent attendance of 116. The visitors immediately put pressure on the Wroxham defence. Lemmon was called on early to claim an early through ball and then Norman was pressed high up the pitch when he had an early touch.

It was Wroxham that had the first chance. Tom Rampling took a free kick from wide on the Wroxham left with the first of many decent deliveries Ben Lewis rose highest to glance a header just wide. It could have been an even better chance for Adam Plumstead coming in just after Lewis, but the captains touch just took the ball away from him.

On 5 minutes Ware took the lead. Josh Oyibo took on Charlie Norman who did not get close enough to him to prevent a delicious cross that Gareth Price was able to head in the right hand corner of the goal from about 6 yards out. Harley Lemmon stretched every sinew to try and keep the ball out but he was unable to quite get enough on the ball.

Wroxham spent the next 10 minutes desperately trying to get even a foothold in the game. Craig Bussens did well to press high up the pitch after the home side had cleared a corner and his hard work eventually got the ball to Norman who had got up to support. His cross was unfortunately deflected and then gathered easily by visiting keeper and captain Darren Behect. Hard work like this was needed though by the Yachtsmen as they tried to shake the early mistakes of misplaced passes that had made them seem so shaky.

However before the home side had really got going, Price struck again. Norman fouled Murat Karagul just to the right of centre of the pitch, some 30 yards from the Yachtsmen goal. Price placed the ball and bent a superb finish just off the underside of the bar to the left corner of the net giving Lemmon no chance. There was little doubt it was an exquisite finish, but it left the home team shocked. This was clearly evidenced as Ware made 3 less than a minute later. Ahmed Mohammed pounced on a mistake by Halliday, out muscled him and finished with aplomb past Lemmon, leaving the home fans fearing a cricket score. At the least it felt like a game winning blow so early on in the contest.

The next 25 minutes passed with a very strong end of season air. Wroxham worked hard but could not force a chance as Ware did very well to contain them at every turn. Tempers frayed on 40 minutes when Plumstead chased down a long ball with Price, and they came together near the touchline. It looked a heavy collision but soon both men were up and squaring up to each other. It took the young keeper Lemmon to exhibit a wise head and get between the two protagonists. The referee Mr Owen gave them both a stern word and the game continued its meander towards half time. When the whistle came Wroxham sat bottom due to other scores, and you felt there was no way back.

Wroxham made a change for the second half with Aristote Kamaneno coming on for Danny Rogers, and they immediately got on the front foot to at least take the game to the visitors. Immediately the Yachtsmen produced a chance, Ross Gilfedder with the good work down the left hand channel and the cut back to the centre for Matt Cook to let fly, but unfortunately his effort was blocked and was an easy gather for the visitor's 'keeper. This was indicative of the Yachtsmen in the first 10 minutes of the second half as they finally started to have an impact on the game. Gilfedder, Lewis and Bussens all leading the way with some good moments, but without massively troubling the Ware rearguard.

On 56 minutes the dangerous Price was brought off and replaced with the Wroxham defence happy to see the back of him. Wroxham celebrated by crafting 2 half chances within a minute. First Lewis controlled, turned and hit from distance but his shot went over the crossbar. Straight away a second chance saw Gilfedder shoot straight at Behect. The Yachtsmen were finally growing into the game, and really showed it when the produced their best move so far. Norman and Bussens combined and the latter delivered a beautiful cross to find Lewis, now playing as one of two up front, but he was unable to find the target from 8 yards and the chance was gone.

On 64 minutes, the comeback was on. Rampling stood over a free kick about the same place as Price had scored from, but the Wroxham full back decided to go for the bottom right corner. His shot went over the wall and down into the net where the Behect could only watch it nestle in the net. It was the least that Wroxham's courageous play had deserved. You felt that if Wroxham could just hold the game as it was for the next 5 minutes they could maybe nick another, but they did more than that.

Lewis broke from his own half and beat 2 men down the Wroxham right. His cross was well cleared but went straight to Bussens. His cross was sliced into the stand, but Wroxham were on top and pushing.

Then the moment of the match on 81 minutes. A long ball up to Gilfedder on the edge of the box saw the striker control the ball, flick it over his marker with his right foot to turn and as the ball dropped he hit it with his left to bury the ball just in the right post. It was an absolutely worldie and Wroxham were right back in the contest.

Ware displayed lots of guile and gamesmanship now as they tried everything to see the game out and try and keep a resurgent Wroxham at bay, but still the Yachtsmen came in search of an equaliser. Gilfedder was getting the rough end of some "strong" defensive play and some poor officiating and so it came as no surprise when he let his feelings be known to the referee. As you would expect he got a yellow card for his trouble.

Then drama at the end of a great half. Wroxham forced a corner which Rampling delivered superbly.He found substitute Stefano Mallardo who headed back towards the right corner of the goal. It looked to be going in when visiting captain Behect dived full length to tip it away. The home players were head in hands, and when the next corner came in it created another chance. This time it fell to Lewis but he put his effort wide and that was that.

It was a pulsating end to a game that at one point seemed to be meandering to nothing. The Yachtsmen had lots to be proud of, but within the context of the game being all but gone within 20 minutes. The small matter of the Broadland Derby on Monday against Norwich United and then the last home game of the season against Thurrock. They will go again!