Title destiny is now firmly in the Yachtsmen’s grasp as they regained top spot from Ely City in the Ridgeons Premier Division with a game in hand over the Robins.

FC Clacton’s Aaron Condon had opened the scoring for the visitors, but goals from Ben Thompson, Andy Eastaugh and Matt Blake gave Wroxham the points.

Wroxham were missing five wide players in Gary Gilmore, David Hinton, Remi Gordon, Ryan Oakley and Matt Daniels. And to make matters worse Ross Durrant hobbled off injured in the first half, and in-form striker Blake also had to come off injured.

Manager David Batch said: “First half I thought it was a little bit scrappy and we lacked tempo. That was partly down to the fact Clacton came to sit behind the ball and stopped us getting in behind their defense - so credit to them for that. But we kept patient, we got our wide players a bit wider in the second half to help stretch the game a little bit more.”

Batch believed his side should have had a penalty in the second half when striker Thompson was clearly fouled in the area, but referee Paul Burnham, despite being ideally positioned, waved away the loud Wroxham appeals. “That penalty would have made it four - that's an absolute cast iron fact and I don't think anyone, other than the ref and linesman, would disagree,” bemoaned Batch. “Everyone to a man in the ground thought it were a penalty apart from the ref, but it’s the way things go. Fortunately we were 3-1 up at the time because if it had been 2-1 it could of made it really nervous for us.”

The Seasiders took a shock lead in the 37th minute as winger Condon rifled home a 30 yard screamer that Scott Howie could only stand and watch in admiration and Batch said: “The attack started on the edge of their box and we’ve chosen the wrong option and gone off our script. They got away from us and that has what led to them scoring, but sometimes you’ve got to look at it (Condon’s goal) and go ‘My God’.”

Wroxham responded with close range finishes either side of the half-time interval from Thompson and Eastaugh to swing the game into Wroxham’s favour.

Before being carried off injured Blake effectively ended the game as a contest with a fine one-on-one finish past goalkeeper Ed Wootten after latching onto Eastaugh’s through ball.

The front man has now bagged 4 goals in just 5 games since signing from Thetford Town and Batch has been delighted with Blake’s performances: “He took a whack and has some swelling around the ankle, so he has gone to hospital for an x-ray. Hopefully he will be okay, as he has been a real threat with his pace getting in behind and his finishing has been good. He scored two last Saturday (versus Hadleigh) and scored a really good finish tonight.”

Wroxham now have eight games to play between now and the end of the season, and Batch wants his players to continue playing to their maximum: “We just need to concentrate on what we’re doing and the good thing is we’re in the driving seat. We just need to keep working hard. I am not even going to say keep winning. We just need to keep working hard, as if we keep working hard the results will come.”