IPSWICH WANDERERS 3 WROXHAM 0

Wroxham were the visitors for Wanderers’ first home game of the season which produced a disappointingly small crowd of 76. Chris Tracey was out after sustaining a gashed knee at Leiston, necessitating 6 stitches, so manager Jason Dozzell returned to partner Mark Goldfinch in the centre of defence. This was the third different centre defence pairing in as many games but each seemed as competent as the other.

Wroxham controlled the game from the halfway line for most of the early period, allowing Wanderers only infrequent visits to their end. Jamie Baker had the first chance on 19 mins when his shot from wide went high over the bar. It was Wroxham's poor finishing as much as Wanderers' resolute defending that kept the score sheet clean for the first half but it was obvious that the visitors were a class above Wanderers in style and experience at this level, forcing defenders into fouls in and around the penalty area  and doing just enough to avoid the sanction of the referee in the challenge. However, Wanderers harried and persisted, never letting Wroxham settle on the ball and the visitors let themselves down by wasting their free kick opportunities.

Wanderers were able to play themselves into the game by the end of 45 mins, but it was not the same exciting football that had characterised the previous 2 away games.

Ipswich Wanderers 0 Wroxham 0

There was an expectation that the half time team talk would have woken Wroxham from their day dreamy state of the first half and come out intent on forcing themselves on the game. It was, however, Wanderers who took the advantage early on as Jamie Baker’s free kick on 47 mins was headed on by Dean Tournay-Godfrey, bringing a scambling save from Woodcock. On 53 mins, Keith Hetherington caught Tyrie and Carus square in the Wroxham defence and Dean Tournay-Godfrey ran on to his through ball to lob Woodcock who was caught off his line.

This inspired further Wanderers’ attacks with a long clearance finding Dean Tournay-Godfrey who squared the ball to Keith Hetherington but the latter’s shot only found the side netting.

Balls over the top were now catching out the Wroxham defence and it was only a timely tackle by Howes that prevented Dean Tournay-Godfrey adding to his tally.

But add to it he did on 78 mins with a coolly taken penalty after Jamie Baker had been brought down in the Wroxham area by Broadwater as he cut in from the left.

This increased lead was somewhat of a surprise as Wanderers were now down to 10 men with the sending off of Matthew Cunningham on 73 mins for a second yellow card. He had hurried into an ill-advised lunge in the first half after the referee had just finished giving him a warning and sent off after clipping the heels of Fox as he headed towards goal. Alan Mills switched to left back, Mark Francis replaced Jason Dozzell and Rene Swann and Jorrell Hurd came on to take over striker duties.

Jamie Baker continued to worry the Wroxham defence with an inswinging corner which Woodcock was forced to tip over the bar but it was from the other side of the field that Jorrell Hurd ran with the ball into the area, evading Howes and Tyrie with Rene Swann acting as decoy, and hitting his shot so that Woodcock could only help it into the net despite his full-stretch dive. This, coming on 90 mins, was an added bonus and slightly flattered the home side, but, given that the last 17 mins were played with 10 men, showed Wanderers' great resilience and composure.

The referee was forced to take the names of two Wanderers and 3 Wroxham players but generally handled the game well, using the advantage rule to good effect.