There is an old adage that catches win matches and so it proved when Fakenham played Acle last Saturday.

Fakenham won the toss and elected to field on what was to prove a slightly slow pitch.

The hosts made their first breakthrough when Lloyd Marshall had Jas Cheema well caught by young Bill Buckingham with the score on 29.

Some chances were then spilt which was to prove costly although Steve Earl’s introduction gained the wicket of Tom Wilson for 10, with another catch from Buckingham.

Another 33 runs were added before the next breakthrough, Yin Lo trapping Neil Moggan lbw for nine. Lo struck with an excellent caught and bowled to dismiss Peter Nobbs and make it 91-4.

This brought in Josh Wilson to join opener Geoff Handley and together they started attacking, adding 35 before Marshall took a catch off Lo’s bowling to remove Handley for 66. David Coyle then took his first wicket in the following over, Craig Press lbw for nought.

It all started to get a little away from Fakenham from then on as Acle got up to 201 before being dismissed, with Wilson (37) and skipper Josh Rowe (27) scoring most of the runs, Cooke’s of Fakenham man of the match Lo (2-23) and Coyle with 3-25 were the best of the bowlers.

Harrison Futter and Harry Bammant opened the batting in brisk fashion before the former went for 14 after an inside edge onto his stumps. Tom Yarham joined Bammant and runs came slowly against some tight bowling, with the score moving on to 68 before Yarham was out lbw to Shaun Roberts for 26. Bammant was out in the next over for 26 with Fakenham on 70-3 in the 19th over.

A struggle ensued between batsmen and bowlers, 49 runs coming in the next 16 overs before Tatenda Chiradza was caught and bowled by Roberts for 21. Four wickets the fell in the next four overs to leave Fakenham on 123-8 before Joe Bane-Young showed how it should be done, adding 20 in quick time as his side were all out 155 in 44.5 overs.

Handley (66) and Wilson (37) were both dropped early on and successful catches could have made such a difference.

Fakenham will now need to win at Garboldisham, the side immediately above them, on Saturday (1pm) to stand a realistic chance of avoiding relegation.