It was an excellent display from David Batch’s outfit and one that was full of versatility and character.

Justin Gardner’s side started the match on the front-foot with Jordan Cox looking lively up-top. The tall forward shot wide inside the area before heading a half-chance over as the visitors looked to grab hold of the game.

In midfield Wroxham were working hard with Ross Durrant and Ben Jones in particular doing their best to contain the visitors getting hold of the ball. Matt Blake was running the channels well and looked lively up top alongside the bright Matt Daniels.

Defensivly the hosts were working hard to counter Aveley’s physical approach it was a bit of a shock when Andy Eastaugh accidently collided with his skipper Daniel Self as he won a header. The centre-back was forced off for a couple of minutes and returned to the action sporting a headband just like Terry Butcher did for England all those years ago.

Good running by Blake won Wroxham a penalty. A minute before half-time the forward latched onto a long ball from midfield and forced his marker Bradley Thomas into making a rash challenge. Referee Nigel Phillips correctly pointed to the spot with Daniels coolly slotting the ball home to the right of Jack Giddens.

Aveley looked far from happy with the penalty-decision as they felt that they should have had a penalty of their own moments before when a Junior Appiah cross appeared to have struck a home defender’s hand inside the area. Either way it didn’t make up for the rash challenge made by Thomas.

In the second-half Wroxham were forced to fight hard to hold onto their lead as Eastaugh and his centre-back partner Matt Halliday impressing. Both players were victims of bad tackles mid-way through the half. Sadly a late challenge made by Aveley’s forward Cox on Eastaugh reduced the hosts to 10 men. Cox picked up a booking but worse was to come for Wroxham as whilst the defender was off the pitch retrieving treatment, Gardner’s side struck to get on level terms.

A stunning long-ball from Jay Leader brilliantly picked out Read inside the area. The forward took one touch to control the ball before tucking the ball home under Jake Jessup with the ball tricking over the line despite the best efforts of Ben Lewis racing back to hack the ball away to safety. It was Read’s second goal for Aveley since joining from league-rivals Brentwood in March.

In the later stages of the game Aveley came closest to snatching a win but Jessup reacted well inside a crowded area to block a shot with Joe Marsden clearing Thomas’s shot of the line following a corner. Marsden could have nicked it for Wroxham but saw a free-kick just go over which was won following an outstanding 40-yard run with the ball from sub Sam Marty.

FT- Wroxham 1-1 Aveley

Wroxham: Jessup, Marsden, Lewis, Halliday, Eastaugh, Self, Durrant, Jones (Marty), Blake, Daniels, Spellar.