Wroxham downed by Mildenhall

A last minute winner from Steve Harley ensured Mildenhall Town were on the right side of a five goal thriller at the expense of visiting Wroxham on Tuesday evening.

Harley, who joined the Suffolk side from Wroxham in the summer, bagged his first goal for his new club to round off an entertaining league fixture at Recreation Way.

New-look Mildenhall didn't have it all their own way however, falling behind after just four minutes. Former Mildenhall winger Stephen Spriggs whipped across a teasing free-kick which Paul Atkins headed past the advancing 'keeper Josh Pope.

Spriggs was close to claiming a second assist just five minutes later, but Graham Challen's looping header hit the bar before being cleared to safety.

The hosts began to impose themselves on the game after a nervous start, with Luke Catchpole lifting his effort just over on 19 minutes.

The game was now flowing from end to end with Ryan Foster heading against the woodwork after good work from Carl Murkin as Mildenhall tried to force an equalizer.

That equalizer finally came with 31 minutes gone. The lively Danny Partridge was hacked to ground by Challen inside the penalty area and the referee showed no hesitation in pointing to spot. After John Sands' blazed his penalty kick over on Saturday, the responsibility was handed to Michael Harvey who calmly sent Phil Smith the wrong way from 12 yards.

Ollie King then struck the post for Wroxham with 36 minutes played and just a mere 15 seconds later Foster was denied at the other end by Smith in a passage of play which summed up the intensity of the first half.

The final action of the half saw the impressive Harvey carry the ball into the Wroxham half before unleashing a 30 yard drive which whistled agonizingly over Smith's crossbar.

The second half started in the same way as the first, with a goal after four minutes. This time it was the home side that grabbed the goal, John Sands firing in from the edge of the box after a long ball from full-back James McCabe.

Spriggs again went close to further haunting his old club on 55 minutes, but his free kick struck the upright before Cook turned the rebound over.

The visitors were beginning to exert a lot of pressure and were finally rewarded with 66 minutes gone. Shaun Howes floated in a free kick which Mildenhall failed to clear and substitute Andy Key was on hand to power in from close range.

With the game now level both teams went in search of the winner and it eventually came just a minute from time.

Howes, who was involved in the Norfolk side's leveller, under hit a back pass to keeper Smith. Livewire Partridge nipped in and squared for substitute Harley who rounded both Martin McNeil and Smith before firing into an empty net.