On a wet evening, football returned to Trafford Park. Pre-season to date for the Yachtsmen has been against Thurlow Nunn league teams, but last night they faced much stronger opposition in the shape of Leiston, who compete strongly in the Southern League Premier Division Central.

People were still leaving the clubhouse when Leiston scored their opener, minutes later they were awarded a penalty and the Leiston striker ( A.Trialist) made no mistake from the spot. This was a baptism of fire for young Wroxham, stand in keeper, George Howes, who then made two good saves low down. For the Yachtsmen defence, the lesson that at a higher standard, lapses in concentration get punished.

Leiston showed that they could also score from long distance when a fierce drive flew past the Wroxham keeper, into the net from outside the box. At this stage the Yachtsmen manager, Jordan Southgate, must have wondered how many more goals his young side would concede. Yet gradually Wroxham grew into the game , and they began to pass the ball through midfield, and found some space down the left hand side.

For neat footwork and a good finish by Ryan Miles gave the score line some respectability at 3-1 but Leiston reopened their three goal lead before the interval.

The second half was, not surprisingly, a more disjointed affair, as both managers utilised their benches, to give the whole of their squads, minutes on the pitch.

The Leiston trialist added a fifth before Wroxham pulled a goal back minutes before the end. Leiston have now scored 15 goals against Isthmian League North teams in the last couple of weeks. On this evidence their pace will trouble many teams in their division, especially if they sign the trialist striker on show last night.

For Wroxham, as Jordan Southgate explained after the game, pre-season isn’t about results. There are new additions to be squad to bed in, and it was noticeable that several key members of the squad were absent last night. For many of the young Wroxham players on show last night, who aspire to perform at a higher level, there were lessons to be digested, not least when playing a team from a higher level, you cannot afford to give them a two goal start, before settling into the game.

In the next week Wroxham travel to Mulbarton and Thetford, before the season starts for real, with a FA Cup tie away to Yaxley on August 5th.