FC Clacton produced one of their best performances of the season as they overcame title chasing Wroxham 1-0 at the Rush Green Bowl.  In front of a healthy crowd of 142 the two teams produced a game that, whilst not providing much in the way of clear goalmouth incident, was an excellent advert for the Ridgeons League played in an open fashion, without a bad challenge in the game, capped by a fine goal - a typical Matt Waters special – to give the Seasiders the points.

Clacton went into the game depleted by the absence of Lee Peacock and Ben Wake forcing a defensive re-shuffle with Matt Cripps moving to full back with Joe Martin dropping back to centre-back and Kyelan Marvell returning at left-back. However despite Wroxham having their share of territory and possession it is testament to the back line, well shielded by Billy Wales and the excellent Louie Newland that goalkeeper Ed Wootten barely had a shot to save all game.

In fact it was Clacton who believed that they should have had a penalty early on when they believed Karl Andrade was fouled by Graham Challen inside the area, although the referee saw it differently.  With this Wroxham began to control possession better as Clacton struggled to win the midfield battle.

In the nineteenth minute Tom Austin was not able to cut out a throughball which gave Mark Blake a sight of goal but he dragged his shot well wide from the edge of the box. Just a minute later Blake must have thought that he was destined to score as he found space on the right side of goal eight yards out only to be thwarted by a tremendous last ditch block by Joe Martin, hurling himself full length to block the shot.

As the half went on the Clacton midfield began to turn the tide, snapping and harrying the Wroxham midfield and winning the home side a greater share of possession. Clacton’s first meaningful effort on goal came just after the half hour mark when the ball was only cleared to Kevin Coyle whose low shot was comfortably saved. Play then switched straight up the other end with Ross Gilfedder sliding a low cross right across the face of goal with no-one on hand to finish for Wroxham.

Shortly before half time Newland came close for Clacton, attacking a corner at the near post but his glancing header brought a flying save from Scott Howie. And three minutes before the break Wroxham came the closest of either team to scoring when Gilfedder charged down an attempted defensive clearance, cut inside and curled a left footed shot from eighteen yards a whisker over the bar with Wootten beaten.

The second half continued in the same vein as the first, with both sides competing fiercely for supremacy but both being well shackled by the others backline. Clacton did come close just after the hour mark as Joe Martin headed a corner goalward that James Dunkley (I think, apologies if it wasn’t!) helped on with Remy Gordon clearing the ball of his goalline. From the resulting corner Aaron Condon fizzed a shot just over Scott Howie’s crossbar.

This would be Condon’s last involvement and, despite a lively 65 minutes, he was replaced by Matt Waters. Shortly afterwards Dan Smith replaced Billy Wales as Beaver sought to add fresh legs to help sustain the home sides efforts. And, as so often in the past, it was Waters who produced a moment of magic to win the game with fourteen minutes left.

After an innocuous foul 45 yards out Kevin Coyle trotted over for what looked like a routine free kick into the area. However spotting that Wroxham had momentarily switched off the Clacton skipper instead slipped a quick free kick to Waters in the left hand channel and the winger took full advantage, cutting inside onto his right foot and unfurling a tremendous twenty five yard effort that curled into the top right hand corner leaving Howie desperately flailing at thin air.

It was a goal worthy of winning any game and so it proved as, despite Wroxham continuing to press in the latter stages they were repelled time and again by the Clacton backline as all eleven men in white worked tirelessly for the cause and give the Seasiders an excellent three points that sees them match last season’s points haul with eleven games of this season still to play.