Dereham Town 3, Fakenham Town 1 (aet)IF passion and pride won cup ties the Ghosts would have taken Tuesday night's Ridgeons League Challenge Cup match.

Dereham Town 3, Fakenham Town 1 (aet)

IF passion and pride won cup ties the Ghosts would have taken Tuesday night's Ridgeons League Challenge Cup match.

Fakenham - with almost two divisions between themselves, bottom of Division One with one point, and a Magpies outfit third in the Premier section - pushed their hosts all the way.

They were more than a match for Dereham first half, took the lead early in the second half through skipper Kevin Whittred's header and were undone by a penalty for handball in the 75th minute.

The second half and extra time saw Fakenham defend gallantly with keeper Daniel Stockdale drawing applause from all sides for some magnificent stops, despite carrying a leg injury later in the match.

Paul Atkins equalised from the spot and the tie was settled with two extra-time goals in five minutes from Nicky Howell and Joel Brien.

Fakenham collected six yellow cards, mostly for players stretched by Dereham's pace, but the main problem for joint managers Mark King and Stuart Woodhouse is how much this tremendous effort has taken out of their squad.

Injuries were picked up and players looked exhausted having given their all, and have little time to recover for Saturday's visit of Diss Town to Clipbush Park (3pm.)

Tuesday night sees the Ghosts visit fellow league strugglers Downham. Fakenham Town Reserves visit Wortwell on Saturday.

Thetford Town 2, Fakenham Town 1

Ten-man Thetford Town fought back to beat Fakenham in Ridgeons One Friday night, denying the visitors their first league victory of the season.

The Ghosts led at half-time thanks to a super strike by ex-Thetford man Karl Pask on 28 minutes. He latched onto a long, low ball from the Fakenham half, made ground and cracked a 25-yarder into the top right corner of the net. Thetford's Kwami Jones was red carded in the 42nd minute for an off the ball incident spotted by a linesman.

The equaliser came from Simon Mann on the hour and the same player netted Thetford's winner in the 77th minute.

Visiting supporters wondered just how the Ghosts managed to lose after looking a good outfit in the first half of open football when they created an encouraging number of chances.

Jones' sending off - the big striker had already been spoken to after one off-the-ball incident - gave Fakenham an advantage that they failed to take make count second half, when it often looked as if Thetford had the extra man.

Fakenham lost grip midfield, saw a return of their defensive frailties and generally disappointed in the second period.