Following heroic efforts by the Soham ground staff including pumping a pond of water from the pitch referee Martyn Holmes gave the go ahead for the game to be played after an early morning pitch inspection. But just as the game was about to start heavy rain fell and it was clear it would be a wet, stodgy surface for the players to play on this afternoon.
Wroxham team boss David Batch again shuffled his pack with Matt Daniel’s returning after a broken hand and Josh Carus replacing Martin McNeil who was on holiday. Youngster Rio Starkings retained his place in the side with Matt Halliday taking the right back berth and Ben Thompson leading the line in place of Matt Blake.
Soham’s right full back Lewis McDonald came across to the left to take a long thrown in the opening couple of minutes as the home side set out their stall to get at the Yachtsmen. The throw was turned round for the first corner of the game which Wroxham were able to clear.
A back heel from Robbie Mason set Buster Harradine away but his shot was turned round for another corner to the home side which again Wroxham repelled.
The Yachtsmen fell behind on 10 minutes following a basic mistake by Starkings. The youngster was expecting the ball to go out of play down the left but Soham’s Buster Harradine had other ideas and eventually the ball was played back to Robbie Mason. The Soham front man turned to get in a perfect cross over the Wroxham backline for James McCabe to burst through and strike the ball past Michael Hilton.
Almost immediately Wroxham attacked with Angelo Harrop’s long range effort cannoning off the post. The Yachtsmen showing plenty of endeavour themselves and duly equalised on 20 minutes with a super left foot strike from Ross Durrant which was kept low and gave Soham ‘keeper Dan Bircham no chance.
On 26 minutes the Wroxham defence was static as Luke Stanley got round the visitors rearguard to poke in a shot which crept agonisingly past the far post.
Then on 33 mins Hilton needed to be alert to rush from his line and clear as Mason broke free. From this referee Holmes booked Andy Eastaugh for what must have been a comment directed at the official.
Soham scored their second on 38 minutes when Josh Carus was forced to put the ball behind for a corner under pressure from Mason. A long cross reached Harradine who shot back into the danger area and Wroxham only cleared as far as Robbie Mason who converted through a ruck of players.

HT Soham Town Rangers 2 Wroxham 1

Wroxham were soon back on terms after 51 minutes when a good move from the back saw Harrop get in a good cross for Ben Thompson to drive the ball home into the bottom corner.
The visitor’s were then put under intense pressure by the home side with five quick corners from which Carus cleared off the line from the last one.
Wroxham made a change on 68 minutes with Daniel’s withdrawn being replaced by Ben Jones. The Yachtsmen seemed to have weathered the storm and Scott Davis was forced into turning behind for a corner. Durrant’s cross found Andy Eastaugh whose header was only just over.
The players were finding it more and more difficult to stand up on the treacherous surface and Soham were awarded a free-kick when Stanley was brought down more by failure to stop than any real intent to foul. From the resulting free-kick Harradine’s shot was brilliantly tipped over by Hilton.
Harrop was then booked for another foul and Jamie Forshaw was brought on for Lemmon as Wroxham looked to hold on.
But Soham regained the lead on 89 minutes when McDonald played the ball down the right to McCabe who turned Remy Gordon. As the Wroxham player slipped, McCabe more in hope than expectation hit a left foot shot into the area which curled and crept in at the far post much to the delight of his colleagues and the Soham faithful.
With three minutes injury time allowed Wroxham quickly swung the ball into the Soham box and referee Holmes had no hesitation in pointing to the spot as Ross Durrant was tripped. Harrop took the kick but his initial shot was saved by Bircham only for the Wroxham player to turn the rebound into the bottom corner with the Soham players turning their wrath on the referee.

Wroxham team: Michael Hilton, Matt Halliday, Remy Gordon, Rio Starkings, Josh Carus, Andy Eastaugh, Ross Durrant, Gavin Lemmon (Jamie Forshaw 80), Ben Thompson (Matt Blake 70), Angelo Harrop, Matt Daniels (Ben Jones 68) Subs not used: Ben Lewis, Jack Smith