Ghosts open their summer campaign with a derby defeat
Fakenham Town's Robbie Harris. Picture: Ian Burt - Credit: Ian Burt
Fakenham Town kicked off their 2017-2018 pre-season campaign on Friday evening with a 3-0 derby defeat at the hands of visiting Bostick League Division One North side Dereham Town.
Although former Ghosts manager Wayne Anderson was missing from the away dugout, having joined the Magpies as assistant manager to Magpies boss Neal Simmons, there were two familiar faces on the pitch, with Ashley Jarvis and Sam Garner lining up against the side they finished the 2016-2017 season with, at Carrow Road in the Norfolk Senior Cup final.
And after a minutes’ applause had resounded around Clipbush Park in honour of young Sunderland supporter Bradley Lowery, who passed away on Friday afternoon, the match got underway.
As Fakenham had done on so many occasions last season, it was the worst possible start with the visitors taking the lead in the sixth minute – some slack marking at the back costing the Ghosts dearly as Ryan Crisp opened the scoring.
But despite that, Fakenham didn’t drop their heads and they had the ball in the Dereham net on the half-hour mark – but with the linesman’s flag raised for offside, the goal from Tim Cary, who had beaten the keeper from just inside the area, was chalked off.
A second goal on 66 minutes, scored by new signing Jamie Forshaw, and another in the dying moments of the game, Jake Anema scoring, put paid to any hopes the Ghosts may have had of getting anything from the game, despite a very promising second half against a strong Dereham side.
The Ghosts host another derby fixture on Saturday against Norwich United (3pm), who also play in the Bostick League Division One North, before King’s Lynn Town visit on Tuesday evening (7.45pm).
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Dereham’s preparations for the new season continue this Friday evening when they travel to Mundford Road to take on Thurlow Nunn Premier Division side Thetford Town (8pm).
Anglian Combination Division Two side Wells Town start pre-season friendlies this Saturday when they host Castle Acre at Beach Road (2pm) for the first team and 4.15pm for the reserves.
