Fakenham Town start a two-game-a-week schedule with home games against God-manchester on Saturday and March on Tuesday night.If the Ghosts reproduce the form they showed in the second half against Ipswich Wanderers at the weekend, they will have genuine hopes of avoiding the wooden spoon of the Ridgeons First Division.

Fakenham Town start a two-game-a-week schedule with home games against God-manchester on Saturday and March on Tuesday night.

If the Ghosts reproduce the form they showed in the second half against Ipswich Wanderers at the weekend, they will have genuine hopes of avoiding the wooden spoon of the Ridgeons First Division.

Acting manager Neil Jarvis has signed experienced defender Lee Hyde, who played for King's Lynn Reserves. “The lad will give us a bit more strength in the back line. Unfortunately he is serving a one-match suspension so will not be available until Tuesday night.”

Jarvis admitted: “We are still giving bad goals away.” He said in the weekend's 2-1 home defeat by Ipswich Wanderers, as at Downham, the Ghosts gave away poor goals first half then controlled the second half.

“We are not getting our rewards, but you cannot throw goals away as we are at the moment. If we can eliminate those problems, I think we can push on.”

Fakenham Town 1, Ipswich Wanderers 2

The clich�s of a game of two halves and players needing to play for the full 90 minutes rung true at Clipbush Park on Saturday.

A clearly ring-rusty Ghosts outfit simply made a hash of the first 45 minutes, conceding a penalty and a silly goal. They roared back second half, scored, hit the bar, saw a great effort well saved and might have had a penalty. But Lady Luck refused to smile.

The players brought in from King's Lynn are clearly giving the side some new options, although it took the first half for the team to get ticking over, and by then it was too late despite playing the section's second-bottom side. Wanderers are now 10 points clear of Fakenham at the bottom, but have played three games more.

Fakenham had an early chance when a fine pass set Julian Delicata through on goal, but he was eased off the ball by a defender in the ninth minute.

In the 14th minute Matt Gilchrist was lured into a tackle on a right winger who was going away from goal towards the edge of the penalty area and conceded a soft penalty which was converted by James Buckle.

Clearly thrown out of their rhythm, Fakenham stuttered until Wanderers scored again after 35 minutes, Ed Butcher allowed time and space to the right of goal to cross low for Tom Deller to score from close range.

Delicata, who found his form second half, was put through by Stephen Harvey five minutes after the break but his shot was bravely blocked by the keeper. The ball found Tom Macarthy on the edge of the box and his crisp shot hit the bar.

Tom Penty started to look dangerous up front as the Ghosts began to buzz. The keeper snatched the ball from his toes then had a shot find his arms. In the 63rd minute Delicata set up Penty for a shot which was brilliantly tipped round his right-hand post by keeper Gary Hammond.

More Penty pressure set up Delicata for a scissor kick that went wide, then on 70 minutes Penty got the goal he deserved with a low shot past the keeper.

With home fans shouting for a penalty as Delicata went down under a challenge, the referee showed the Fakenham man a yellow card.

The Ghosts used their substitute allocation and pushed hard for the equaliser they deserved, but they could not undo the damage of the first half.

Fakenham: Rix, Felton, Pease, Jensch, Gilchrist, Bamford (Savory 81), Macarthy (M Betts 69), Harvey, Penty, Delicata, J Betts (Skinner 69). Subs not used: Alamonis, Day. Att: 54.

Fakenham Reserves' game was postponed. They visit Freethorpe on Saturday.