CROMER hosted the Premier Division pacesetters Wroxham Reserves and lost 2-1.Following an early-morning inspection the pitch was passed as playable and despite the heavy, wet conditions the two teams put on a very good match.

CROMER hosted the Premier Division pacesetters Wroxham Reserves and lost 2-1.

Following an early-morning inspection the pitch was passed as playable and despite the heavy, wet conditions the two teams put on a very good match.

Chris Wigger had a full squad to choose from. Dale Cooper and Karl Horton returned to the starting line-up and Darren Terrington was on the bench following his hamstring injury.

Town had the first chance. Danny Brown headed the ball inside to Jamie Hunton but he volleyed wide. Then the visitors attacked with Ben Latimer using his pace down the left. He ran past Cooper and put in a teasing cross but he had no support and the threat was gone.

On 20 minutes the league leaders went ahead. The ball was played into the feet of Paul Cook who turned his marker superbly and fired across goal into the opposite corner.

Cromer pushed for an equaliser before half-time. Liam Davies' shot was blocked and Hunton's effort was pushed away by Andy Jackson. Horton delivered a fantastic cross which fell perfectly to Hunton, whose sweetly-struck volley was just off target.

Cromer keeper Stuart Parsons was called into action to keep out Ben Morgan's low, long-range shot. Kane Taylor fired over before Parsons again denied Morgan.

In the 37th minute the Crabs got their deserved equaliser. Neil Bugdale's corner was flicked on by Brown at the near post and Tom Davies finished from close range.

Just before the break Hunton thought he had given Cromer the lead, but his shot was cleared off the line.

The Crabs started the second half the brighter sides Jackson pushed a Hunton shot out for a corner and from it Simon Durrant headed wide. Then Horton dispossessed the full back and laid the ball to Brown. He fizzed the ball across the box but it was just out of the reach of a sliding Tom Davies.

The final 20 minutes saw the young Yachtsmen get on top. Cook was denied a clean route to goal by a fantastic tackle from Durrant, who had moved to centre half after Cooper came off injured.

Parsons intercepted a cross to deny Cook an easy tap-in and Shaun Wones had a shot cleared off the line. Luke Winter came close but Parsons' fingertips kept the scores level.

On 87 minutes the visitors got the winner. Bradley Hoffman put a pacy ball into the box and Durrant dived to head the ball away but unluckily guided the ball into his own net.

Cromer had one final chance when Brown knocked the ball to Hunton, but his tentative effort went well wide.

It was a kick in the teeth for the Crabs at the end. They didn't deserve to lose. And the manner of the winning goal was even more of a blow.

At the end of the game the fitness of the young Wroxham Reserves side seemed to be the deciding factor as the heavy pitch had taken more of a toll on some of the Cromer players.

In the current standings it is Wroxham Reserves' Sterry Cup to throw away, but as previous years have shown, you can never predict what is going to happen. All the top teams can beat each other so points will still be dropped by everyone.

Cromer now have a break due to the representative game until they entertain Norwich Union at the start of February.

The Crabs still have a lot to play for and three points in their next game will be the perfect response to this disappointment.