Fakenham seconds made progress in the Norfolk Bowl when they beat visitors Holt III 42-19.

After being excluded from Eastern Counties League 3N - along with Wymondham III, North Walsham III and Broadland Gt Yarmouth II for apparently not fulfilling sufficient fixtures - Fakenham had something to prove in this game.

The game started with real pace and Damon Howick dummied past two defenders and crashed over to score with three players hanging on his back.

Scrums were beginning to go Fakenham’s way, with good work from Eladio Ribeiro and Ashley Steward, and from one of these the ball was whisked out to Jack Whiteside who ran a mazy 50 metres to score.

A well organised maul saw Holt quickly reply with a converted try but the last 10 minutes of the first half saw the game totally taken away from the visitors with three unanswered tries by the now rampant Fakenham side.

Lyam Thorpe scored his first of four tries after good work from Brandon Fairbrother. Howick went over for his second following some flowing rugby and a chip ahead and score by Thorpe made it 25-7.

The first 15 minutes of the second half saw an even and entertaining period with the Holt defence eventually broken by another try from Thorpe.

In response Holt fought back through their forwards who were finally successful and awarded a converted try.

Paul Ruston then stole a Holt lineout. The ball was moved swiftly to Steward who made a fine break, only to be hauled down just short of the line, but he popped the ball up for Thorpe who scored his fourth try of the afternoon.

Holt scored another well worked try but the final try of the game came from Fakenham’s hardworking Josh Gee who plucked up a loose ball and sped past four defenders to score.

Fakenham skipper Toby Kent said afterwards: “I could not have asked for any more effort than the players gave today, I could not be prouder.”

Fakenham’s first team return to action on Saturday with an attractive home game against near neighbours and London Three Eastern Counties leaders Holt.