Wroxham defeat Hawks in 5 goal thriller

It never started well for Danny Chapman's men as Captain Darren Blewitt limped into the ground with an injured foot and he unfortunately failed a fitness test. This meant a reshuffle for am already makeshift back four. Winger Junior Dadson filled in at Right Back, Scott Curley came into the side for the injured Blewitt and left back Glen Parry played alongside Curley. This only left Layne Eadie in his own position of left back. Leon Antoine and Danny Brown missed the trip along with Donny Barnard. So this meant places in the starting line up for James Smith, Scott Williams and new signing John Glowacki. It also saw a first start in goal for Jason Hardy.

Remy Gordon produced a stellar second half performance to help Wroxham to a 3-2 win against Harlow Town at Trafford Park.

The pacey left winger scored one and set up two as the Hawks defence had no answer to his marauding wing play at the beginning of the second half. He slotted home after 53 minutes to give The Yachtsmen the lead, before two inviting crosses - one met by Stephen Drake for his fifth in two games and the second by Ross Durrant – gave Wroxham a three goal advantage with 20 minutes remaining. Harlow did get one back in injury time through a Alex Read header and Chinedu McKenzie scored with the last kick of the game, but the Yachtsmen held on to secure the win.
The game burst into life in the second half, as Gordon found acres of space time and time again for Wroxham, punishing the Harlow defence with his skill and guile in a superb 15 minute spell.

In a very cagey opening, with a few tit-for-tat exchanges between the two sides, Wroxham twice went close in an attempt to seize the initiative. Paul Cook’s 14th minute tap in was ruled out for offside after a fine Sam Harty ball found him from close range, before Ross Durrant had a 25 yard half volley fly just wide.
Matt Halliday and Bartek Pelka were marshalling the threat of the league’s leading scorer Alex Read well, with the striker’s only opportunity of the opening stages coming from a free kick, which he blasted into the side netting after 21 minutes.

In a game bereft of clear cut chances, it was the visitors who seemed the more penetrative in attack as the half wore on and they created the best chance of the half through Junior Dadson.
Dadson playing right back found himself in an advanced position, cutting in from the wing before dragging his left footed effort into the side netting when he really should have hit the target.
With half chances coming for both sides - Read being denied by Halliday at the back post after a Jamie Smith header across the box and Remy Gordon flashing a long range drive just wide for the home side - the half petered out with things all square.
The home side came out of the blocks faster in the second half and they scored two quick goals, with Gordon having a hand in both.
The left winger converted the first after 53 minutes, slotting home after a great through ball from Stephen Drake before roles were reversed for Wroxham’s second two minutes later as Gordon whipped a teasing ball in for Drake to fire home at the back post.

Gordon was finding space for fun time and time again, creating numerous problems down the left as Harlow struggled to cope with his pace and movement. And it was no surprise that the winger was involved in the third, as another burst down the left put Wroxham three up after 67 minutes. The winger picked the ball on the halfway line before driving into the vacant right back area and delivering a delicious back post cross, with Durrant meeting the ball on the volley to cement the home side’s lead.
Harlow almost found a way back in it five minutes later as Smith found space just inside the box, but could only fire his shot wide of the left hand post. Read then hit the bar with a looping header, before two goals in injury time through Read's header when he diverted Scott Curley's towering header in at the back post, and McKenzie’s tap in from 6 yards after the Yachtsmen failed to clear, denied Wroxham a first clean sheet of the season, but had no effect on the end result as The Yachtsmen held on.

Harlow Town: Hardy, Dadson, Eadie, Glowacki, Parry, Curley, Williams (McKenzie 64’), Muguo, Read, Smith, Stamp (Gliddon 82’)

Attendance: 91

Thanks to Wroxham's website with help for the match report.