Cromer Town 5 Wroxham Res 1

Wroxham Reserves were the visitors to Cabbell Park on a sunny afternoon. Captain Liam Davies returned following illness for the injured Steve Jordan and Karl Horton came back into the side for Josh Farrow, who dropped to the bench.

It was Wroxham who had the first chance of the game. The pacy Jordan Rocastle broke through but was halted by a well-timed tackle from Paul Bradshaw. The ball ran kindly for Rocastle who saw his shot saved by Nathan Pauling.

The hosts created their first opening after 25 minutes. Good play from Scott Woodcock down the right saw him beat his man and pull the ball back for Fawkes, who squared who to Horton who forced a fine low save from Liam Still. The ball then broke for Woodcock for a simple tap in but the flag was up for offside.

In the second half the Crabs started brightly and it didn't take long before they broke the deadlock. Woodcock's driven corner found the head of Bradshaw who directed the ball into the goal, despite the best efforts of the defender on the line. Just before the hour mark Cromer doubled their lead. Bradshaw dispossessed the attacker on the halfway line and galloped forward before playing the perfect pass into the run of Woodcock who took one touch before firing across goal into the left hand corner. Wilton then supplied a through ball for Fawkes who fired wide.

In the 65th minute the visitors pulled a goal back when Jamie George was brought down in the box and the referee had the easy decision to award a spot-kick. George himself stepped up to coolly fire past Pauling.

Direct from the restart Cromer regained their two-goal advantage. Horton gave the ball to Matthew Eves on the left who beat the defender to deliver a teasing cross. Still failed to deal with it and could only palm it down in the area and Wilton finished from close range.

The hosts then put the game beyond doubt with two quick goals. The first came when Craig Terrington's headed clearance bounced back off the head of Antoni Fawkes and into the goal. Moments later it was 5-1 when another good delivery caused problems in the Wroxham goalmouth. They did well to keep out two Davies strikes but the ball ran wide to Wilton. His strike was saved but Fawkes headed home the rebound for his second of the game.

Before the final whistle Cromer had a couple more chances to further compound Wroxham misery. Wilton's cross-found Farrow whose first time shot was saved, and then some excellent football resulted in Fawkes heading over from yet another cross.

A superb second half performance from the leaders saw them come away with a comprehensive victory, which with the sides just below them in the league both winning was very important.

Cromer: Pauling, Harwood (Winterbone), Groves, Davies, Bradshaw, Landamore (Honeyman), Wilton, Horton, Woodcock, Fawkes, Eves (Farrow).

Richard Cox