Fakenham Town manager Wayne Anderson was clearly not pleased with the Ghosts’ performance in the weekend’s defeat at Swaffham and quickly arranged a derby friendly with Wells Town for Wednesday night.

The only one of his starting 11 at Swaffham to escape criticism was new striker Liam Bowley, who scored Fakenham’s only goal in a 4-1 defeat, writes John Cushion.

Bowley, six foot and in his early twenties, has scored a hatful of goals in the North West Norfolk League with West Lynn, and Anderson was confident he could make the step up.

“I felt we needed another 90 minutes,” he said after arranging the friendly with a Seasiders squad who lead Division One of the Anglian Combination.

He wanted to have a look at some of Fakenham’s young players. “We need a few more bodies,” he admitted. “I am bringing some more youngsters through.”

Of the defeat at Swaffham, Anderson said: “We didn’t perform.

“At half-time I felt the players had not given enough. We didn’t get the ball down and play as well as we should have done.”

This against a Swaffham side forced to field youngsters as five regular players were unavailable, according to their manager Paul Hunt.

From 2-0 down at half-time, the Ghosts quickly pulled a goal back after the re-start, but a penalty and another goal sent Fakenham to defeat and to fourth-bottom spot.

On Saturday (kick-off 3pm) they will look for better form at home to Cornard United who prop up the division with just seven points from 22 games, having conceded 88 goals to 13 scored.

The Ghosts are averaging just one goal per match from their 21 league games.