View from the other side.

Superb first half display sees off Tilburyby Thomas Crabb

Wroxham produced a scintillating first half display to help them towards a confident 4-2 win against Tilbury.


Jordan King scored twice in a whirlwind opening 14 minutes from The Yachtsmen, two corners allowing the midfielder to tap in at the back post on both occasions in almost identical fashion.

Jack Guyton then bagged a composed third after 30 minutes, before Stephen Drake benefitted from Matt Halliday’s outrageous flick to drill home and complete an emphatic first half from the home side.

Tilbury came out with more purpose after the break and found a way back into the game through Harrison Tweddell’s bundled effort after 56 minutes, before Mitchell Gilbey made things uneasy for The Yachtsmen with a composed finish with 12 minutes remaining.

But the hosts held on for a vital three points, with Aaron Waters’ red card in the dying moments for the visitors making no difference to the outcome.

Wroxham made light work of the visitors in a superb opening period, and despite a slight resurgence from Tilbury in the second half, manager Pawel Guziejko will be pleased with the attacking prowess shown by his side.

The Yachtsmen welcomed back captain Matt Halliday at the expense of Sam Harty, with Jordan King pushing into midfield and Jack Guyton earning a starting berth ahead of Kieren Joseph.

Wroxham came out of the traps flying and were ahead within two minutes with a scrappy opener.

Remy Gordon’s swirling corner wasn’t dealt with by the Tilbury defence, with Tristan Hickman saving the first effort that deflected off his own defender before King toe-poked the rebound into the bottom left corner for his first goal of the season.

The home had side settled well, and despite a brief moment of panic when Tweddell’s lofted effort was ruled out for offside, it was them who were on top.

Drake blazed over after another corner wasn’t properly cleared, before King doubled his – and Wroxham’s – tally with another opportunist effort in almost identical fashion.

Ross Durrant’s 14th minute corner was almost headed in by Joe Nightingill, with Hickman’s save rebounding to King at the back post who duly tapped in to make it 2-0.

Wroxham were playing with all the pace and urgency, Jack Guyton dispossessing Sam West deep in Tilbury territory to spark a three on two situation, his bobbling pass finding Drake just inside the box who couldn’t convert.

With the visitors struggling to find any rhythm, it took a set piece of their own to create their first chance.

Aaron Waters’ 25th minute corner fell perfectly on Jake Pooley’s head, the substitute forcing Kingsley Barnes into a neat stop at his near post with his well placed header.

This didn’t deter The Yachtsmen though, who carried on pressing and got a third with half an hour on the clock.

Joe Marsden went on a characteristic driving run down the right, advancing into the penalty area to fire in a cross that Hickman tipped straight into Guyton’s path, the midfielder composing himself to send the ‘keeper the wrong way and place his effort into the bottom corner.

The Yachtsmen were going for the jugular, grabbing a fourth with seven minutes left of the half to seal their commanding position.

Another Durrant corner wasn’t cleared by the visitors, Matt Halliday flicking an outrageous backheel over the defence from the initial clearance into Stephen Drake’s path, who clinically struck his effort across Hickman and into the bottom right corner.

Tilbury were still fighting despite the deficit, Barnes making two good stops in first half injury time from Tweddell and Sam Cutler to keep his clean sheet intact at half time.

Wroxham seemed happy to sit on their lead as the second half began, Tilbury having more play in the final third with no real end product.

A couple pot shots from the edge of the box was the best they could manage, before they grabbed a goal from a set piece of their own after 56 minutes.

Waters’ deep corner found its way to the back post, with Tweddell battling amongst a mass of bodies to deflect it in for 4-1.

With little in the way of quality from Tilbury, they were beginning to get more and more frustrated with their situation, captain Waters lucky not to be reprimanded after spitting in the direction of Gordon in an unsavoury exchange.

Two chances at either end then sparked the game back to life, first a lofted effort from Nightingill that Barnes clawed away at his back post, before Gordon raced down the other end after Marsden’s flick on, only to fire his effort straight at Hickman in a great chance to seal the win for the hosts.

The visitors then made things uneasy for Wroxham as they claimed their second, Mitchell Gilbey racing onto a through ball to calmly slot his shot past Barnes to make for a potential nervy final period.

But stout defensive work from the hosts saw them home, with Waters’ red card in the final few moments compounding a miserable afternoon for Tilbury and a satisfying one for The Yachtsmen.

Wroxham: Barnes, Marsden, Halliday, Rust, Taylor, King, Sanders (Cary 87’), Durrant, Gordon, Guyton (Joseph 63’), Drake (Smith 90’)

Subs not used: Ebbage, Gee

Cautions: Gordon 90’

Tilbury:Hickman, Johnson (Crooks 62’), Waters, Nightingill, West, Cohen (Pooley 14’), Blackman, Gilbey, Tweddell, Cutler, Daniel ( Owen 45’)

Cautions: Nightingill 37’, Blackman 45’

Red Card: Waters 90’

Attendance: 110