The first of three games in 8 days saw the Crabs host fellow seasider’s Wells Town. This game saw the leagues’ top side face the leagues’ bottom side.
It was quite a scrappy opening with little threat to either goal until the 18th minute when the home side took the lead. David Harwood low strike was pushed out by Armiger and went to Karl Horton whose first attempt was kept out by the Wells keeper but the ball again fell to the feet of the Cromer midfielder who finished from close range.
Shortly after the Crabs had another chance when Antoni Fawkes bought the ball down and laid it inside to Liam Landamore whose left foot shot rolled wide.
The visitors then had opportunities of their own. Grocott got past Paul Bradshaw and then pulled the trigger just inside the box. His strike took a deflection off Liam Davies and forced an excellent reaction save from Nathan Pauling. On the half hour mark a clearance was blocked and ran kindly for Wick but his effort was off target.
Early in the second half Wells had yet another effort on goal. Grocott turned smartly and delivered a teasing low cross to the back post which found the incoming Wick who seemed destined to score, but Pauling was again alert to get across and keep his sides lead intact.
Having rode their luck slightly the hosts then doubled their lead on 57 minutes. Davies played the ball to Dale Wilton on the half way line and the Cromer winger made a pacy, direct run past 5 or 6 players and closed on goal before smartly finishing past Armiger.
The leagues’ basement club weren’t making it a comfortable night for the Crabs and worked yet another chance when a perfect delivery picked out Rutland whose header was cleared off the line by Landamore.
The efforts of the away side caused them to tire and in the final ten minutes it was all Cromer. Substitute Simon Freemantle turned and picked out Horton whose header from close range went wide. Wilton then showed good skill beating three players and then played it inside to Scott Woodcock whose driven effort scrapped the top of the bar. Woodcock then got the ball from Horton, before having his shot saved. Their final chance came when Josh Farrow picked out Freemantle who cut inside before firing over.
The Crabs ended the game brightly and could have added more goals but overall it wasn’t the greatest performance from the hosts but the most important thing was the result and they got those crucial three points.
Cromer team: Pauling, Harwood (Winterbone), Groves, Davies, Bradshaw, Landamore, Wilton, Horton, Woodcock, Fawkes (Freemantle), Eves (Farrow).
Wells team: Armiger, Page, Chilvers, Cooper, Rutland, East, Campbell, Grocott, Sutherland-Gray, Wick. Subs: Dagless, Balding, Harrington.