Fakenham Tn 5, Swaffham Tn 0

FAKENHAM boss Wayne Anderson praised his players’ work rate in a stunning derby success on Monday – but admitted he has seen them play much better.

Rory Harper fired a hat-trick as the Ghosts exacted sweet revenge for their Boxing Day defeat at the hands of their Norfolk rivals. James Page and Kyle Plumb were also on target for Fakenham as they moved three points clear of Swaffham in the Ridgeons League First Division.

Asked if it was his side’s best display of the season, Anderson replied: “No, I don’t think it was. We were 3-0 up at half-time and we didn’t play very well, but our work rate was tremendous.

“It’s always nice to be above your local rivals and I’m a firm believer in hard work when it comes to derbies. They are not always going to be pretty.”

Anderson was delighted with the response from his side following Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Ipswich Wanderers, which saw Ben Coe sent off.

“Ben got a bit frustrated on Saturday because he should have had a penalty a few minutes before he got sent off, but he got his head back up and played really well.

“In the changing room before the game the boys were as good as I have seen them in terms of the way they were acting. We had a great warm-up and I’m sure if we did that every week we would be capable of beating anyone in this division.”

Fakenham travel to fifth-placed Brightlingsea Regent on Saturday, but will be without several key players, including Harper and Plumb.