But if Reepham took their chances Wroxham were defeated by their own failings. At least three of the goals could be put down to defensive errors and Wroxham didn’t take the chances that came their way despite enjoying the majority of play. Once again Team Managers Kaine Challen & Damian Didwell were forced into changes due to player unavailability and two more had to be signed on the day with Challen himself on the bench.
I early play there were signs of things to come as Harry Severn’s poor pass landed at the feet of Dale Webster who without hesitation hit a fierce shot from 20 yards which was just over.
The at the other end Tom Jewell and Matt Doyle combined well to get in a cross for Danny Rogers but the ball got stuck in his legs and the Reepham keeper gathered what was a clear chance for the Yachtsmen.
With Wroxham seemingly in charge they gave away the first goal on 20 minutes. A misunderstanding between Tom Rampling and new boy Brannan Sokoman enable Reepham to chase clear and get in a cross to Matt Daynes who tapped despite Nathan Pauling’s desperate effort to stop it crossing the line. This opening was really against the run of play but gave the visitors more confidence.
Wroxham continued to press forward and the visitors under pressure conceded a corner. The ball was cleared as far as Marcus Wilkinson who hit a firm shot but it was straight at the keeper.
Then on 40 minutes Reepham scored a second when the ball was crossed from the right and while Wroxham should have cleared, it found Daynes 20 yards out and he hit a low return drive into the bottom corner beyond Pauling’s outstretched dive.
Reepham had taken the two chances that came their way while Wroxham struggled to make any headway with theirs.
It required a fine save by Pauling to stop it becoming three before half-time when he pushed over a shot from ex-Wroxham player Stephen Drake.
Wroxham had a good chance to pull one back just before the break when Maddison set up Doyle whose shot brought a great save by the Reepham keeper.
After the break Reepham increased their lead to three when Harry Severn slipped in the mud on a treacherous surface and as we have seen him do before when he was with us, Drake took advantage by hitting a low show past Pauling from the edge of the area.
It look all over but Wroxham pulled one back with a neat lob into the far top corner by Shaun Taylor to give the home side some hope on 60 minutes.
Wroxham almost had a second when Wilkinson’s cross found Doyle who shoot across goal but there was no one able to turn the ball in.
As they continued to press forward Danny Roger’s brought another good save from the keeper who was having a good game.
Finally Wroxham pulled back a second when Taylor neatly provided a side foot clip to a cross from a freekick and the ball flew in the net.
The home side had their tails up with Reepham defending deeply. Maddison in particular had a header which seemed to hang in the air and bobble in the six yard box with no able to convert.
The inevitable then happened as Wroxham were unable to defend the ball when Reepham broke away enabling Reece Ashman to round Pauling and tap home.
With Wroxham going for broke Reepham broke away again with five minutes left as Drake rounded Pauling who had come too far out and he also shot into an empty net.
There was no hope of a Wroxham staging a further comeback as Reepham won through to the semi-final.
Good luck to them but Wroxham must now concentrate on the league and a comeback against Mulbarton next Saturday.