Ryman League Division One North Soham Town Rangers 2 Wroxham 6 The “most embarrassing 45 minutes of football of my managerial career” says Soham manager after watching his side’s second half collapse.
Leading one-nil at half time through a Luke Stanley goal, Soham were looking for a third win in a row, but six goals in the space of 36 minutes left Soham manager, Steve Fallon, furious.
Given a severe dressing down after the match Fallon questioned his side’s passion, saying Wroxham had “more drive, desire and movement.”
Though Wroxham kept possession nicely in the first half, the Soham defence was rarely troubled and it was Soham that went into the break ahead.
In first half stoppage time Luke Stanley picked up the ball on the left, skilfully beating his man before cutting onto his right foot and finishing low into the right hand corner.
After Saturday’s victory Fallon said his side needed to learn to come out after half-time composed on the ball and solid defensively.
The 45 minutes that followed were anything but.
Wroxham flew out the blocks, dominating possession with Ross Durrant orchestrating play from a deep-lying central-midfield position.
It was their number 10, Stephen Drake, however, who stole the show, scoring four goals including a spectacular equaliser, half-volleying into the top-corner from 30 yards in the 50th minute.
Drake’s second, three minutes later, was a tap-in from a Paul Cook cross who was brilliantly put through by Durrant.
Latching onto a Joe Marsden though ball, Drake made it 3-1 with his hat-trick after 73 minutes.
Substitute Ben Sawyer got one back in the 75th minute to briefly give hope of a Soham comeback but 60 seconds later the match was over when Drake bagged his fourth.
Former Norwich academy player, Remy Gordon, who gave Soham fullback Dan De’Ath problems all night, got the assist with a perfect cross from the left wing.
Two minutes later the same man crossed for Joe Marsden’s first and Wroxham’s fifth.
By this point all fight had gone from the Soham players and it was no surprise to see a sixth, when in the 86th minute Samuel Harty finished from the penalty spot after Fernando Vide was tripped.
After the match a deeply disappointed Steve Fallon said: [at halftime] “I told the boys let’s not get caught on the break, and they’ve done us six times on the break.
“There was no running and no marking. Just rank, bad defending.
“It’s been coming defensively. Defensively we have to start again.”
In a warning to his players he added: “We said what the danger is. Either they didn’t listen or [they] just aren’t good enough.”
Fallon said he hoped his team could bounce back and win the next game.
Soham fans will hope that some consistency can be found in the club’s new signing. Fallon announced to the Ely Standard that the club has signed a centre-half from Ireland on a four month contract.
On tonight’s display defensive reinforcements are desperately needed to plug what’s been a very leaky defence.
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