Murphy was appointed on a temporary basis after Paul “Sizz” Warman resigned the previous week. Knowing Paddy he will be looking upon this result as good reason for a recall. Afterwards he said “we set out our stall and got a bit of luck”.
That probably summed up the game with the young Wroxham side dictating play for much of the game and unable to score despite hitting the woodwork three times and being caught with a sucker goal following a defensive slip up.
Wroxham were missing several players from the previous week notably inform Marcus Wilkinson, Matty Doyle and Danny Rogers, so in came under 18 players Tom Jewell , Stephen Kidd & Aiden Wickham to the squad.
Early play favoured Wroxham without them creating too many chances. The first attempt at goal of any note came when Tom Rampling burst thro’ and his left foot shot brought a low save from Ian Stones in the Blofield goal following the recent departure of Ross Bilham.
Rampling was prominent in most of the Wroxham moves controlling play in mid-field and managing to get forward almost at will. Another shot from Rampling, this time with his right foot was tipped over by Stones.
A fast break away by Blofield’s ex-Yachtsman Ashley Mitchell set up a chance for the visitor’s but he shot high and wide.
Wroxham were getting closer as they attacked, notably when Shaun Taylor’s shot curled past the post but the score remained level at hal-time.
After the break Wroxham came out all guns blazing. Tom Jewell almost scored his first senior goal when he headed narrowly wide and then in the next attack hit the bar. Aaron Attree also hit the crossbar when his curler beat Stones but the ball crashed off the bar. Then Sam Gauntlett had a chance which was well blocked by Stones off his legs and Gauntlett turned the follow up over the bar.
Another good cross by Jewell was perfectly placed for Gauntlett whose header lack conviction and was straight at Stones with virtually an open goal to aim at.
Blofield weathered the storm and scored against the run of play on 70 minutes. Wroxham lost the ball in mid-field thro’ a slip up enabling Robbie Fryer’s to stretch his legs and clip over Nathan Pauling who rushed from his goal enabling Fryer’s effort to roll into an unguarded net.
This lifted the whole Blofield side and they had Wroxham on the back foot for a while. Fryer’s had a free header which would have made it curtains.
Wroxham fought back with Taylor’s shot going over and sub Stephen Kidd shooting inches wide. But for all their effort, Rampling’s first half control was nullified and play became congested down the middle with no outlet as there was in previous weeks. So Wroxham’s play petered out and they had to accept only their second defeat this season so far.