A scorching shot from outside the area by Jason Day earned Fakenham Town all the league points against promotion hopefuls Diss at Clipbush Park on Monday.

It boosted the Ghosts' First Division position to sixth bottom and raised hopes for Saturday's trip to a Thetford side now one point and one place better off than Fakenham following their defeat at Team Bury.

Manager Wayne Anderson's wish that Fakenham would use their Norfolk Senior Cup performance against Norwich City to kick-start their season was fulfilled in front of a crowd of 120.

Both teams were rusty after the freeze lay-off, but the Ghosts deserved their win.

The vital goal came after 80 minutes. A Fakenham free-kick was headed out and Day, on as a substitute, collected the ball and sent a well-struck 22-yard right-foot shot into the corner of the net.

Earlier the Ghosts had lost stalwart Lee Hyde to injury.

Diss returned to action after a six-week weather-related interruption to their season. They remain in third place despite Monday's defeat.

Diss looked dangerous in the first half when they sent crosses into the penalty area. Strikers Dan Wynne and Danny Partridge failed to turn a sixth-minute George Watts-Sturrock free-kick past Tom Rix when well placed.

Fakenham's Stephen Harvey had a 20-yard shot deflected wide by Tom Bryant in the 15th minute.

Rix made a good diving save to his right three minutes later to keep out a header from Wynne to a centre from the right by Watts-Sturrock.

At the other end Mark Camidge dived to his left to hold a 20-yard James Bamford shot.

For Diss Partridge moved onto a bouncing ball and guided his shot past the advancing Rix from the edge of the penalty area, his rolling shot going inches wide.

Just before the break Rix dived to his right to turn a Stuart Garner free-kick from well out round a post.

A header from ten yards out by Wynne to a cross from the left by Garner had Rix scrambling towards his goal-line, and the home goalkeeper was relieved to see the ball go inches wide.

Rix made the best save of the game when he punched a well-struck Garner 76th minute free-kick over the bar.

Fakenham saw a goal-bound shot blocked at the end of a period of pressure, and Day elected to shoot too soon from the angle of the area to the right of goal instead of considering his options.

He more than made up for that with his cracking winner, however.

Fakenham squad: Rix, Harvey, Pease, Gilchrist, Rawlings, Anderson, Coe, Savory, Hyde, Cole, Bamford, Greer, Day, Walpole, Manning.

Diss: Camidge, Watts-Sturrock, Garner, Shadrack, Gilding, Abbott, Wright, Bryant, Wynne, Partridge, Hooks, Bryant, Rocastle, Phelan, Moody, Cole.