Wroxham's hopes of reaching the Ryman North play-offs were dashed as Arian Retkoceri's 83rd-minute effort sealed a win for Aveley.

In truth, the Yachtsmen failed to rise to the occasion in a game where only a win would do to keep their play-off ambitions alive, and despite creating in fits and starts, their lack of attacking potency was ultimately their undoing in a tired performance.

Stewart Larter made one change from the side that drew with Heybridge last weekend – with Ben Price coming in for the injured Matt Halliday – but they soon had to reshape as top scorer Christy Finch was forced off after five minutes with a badly twisted ankle.

This didn't seem to affect the Yachtsmen, with Jamie Forshaw going close two minutes later after some slick play from Jordan King and Kyle Baker releasing the frontman. The wind was blowing in Aveley's favour and they began to get a foothold in the game, with both Robbie Farrell and Theo Ola going close, before a thunderous free-kick on 30 minutes from Sam Knott gave the visitors the lead as his 25-yard effort crashed off the bar and in.

This goal stunned the hosts, but they managed to get themselves back into it just before the break as Remy Gordon struck following David Hinton's lovely slide-rule pass.

The Yachtsmen continued the second half in a positive manner – with both Forshaw and Gordon going close Larter went three at the back with 10 minutes to go in search of a winner.

But this had the adverse effect as Rektoceri struck.