Dereham continued to falter with a nine-wicket defeat at the hands of struggling Horsford in Norfolk Alliance Division Two on Saturday.After fielding a depleted side in the previous week's defeat to Garboldisham, Dereham welcomed back some of the absentees, but they could not prevent a strengthened Horsford side completing an easy win at Manor Park, writes Phil Banyard.

Dereham continued to falter with a nine-wicket defeat at the hands of struggling Horsford in Norfolk Alliance Division Two on Saturday.

After fielding a depleted side in the previous week's defeat to Garboldisham, Dereham welcomed back some of the absentees, but they could not prevent a strengthened Horsford side completing an easy win at Manor Park, writes Phil Banyard.

Dereham were put into bat in cloudy conditions and although skipper Duncan Hewitt started brightly, he chased a wide ball in the fourth over and was caught at slip. Jake Anema, Phil Banyard and Max Cheetham followed soon afterwards as the visitors crumbled to 16 for four.

Andy Lawrence and Kevin Denmark began to launch a recovery but Lawrence was bowled for 16 with the score on 34. Denmark was the only Dereham batsman to show the necessary application and he salvaged some hope for the visitors with a determined innings of 57.

He received valuable support from Neil Burrage, who finished on 16 not out, but no other Dereham batsman managed single figures as the visitors' innings, which had been punctuated by two heavy showers, closed on 122 for nine.

The sun eventually came out and the Horsford batsmen took advantage of the favourable conditions and a lack of penetration in the Dereham attack to put on 42 for the first wicket.

Tom Head trapped Owers lbw for a painstaking 8, but Matthew Wilkinson (46 not out) joined Chris Spenceley (62 not out) and the pair comfortably took Horsford to victory in the 36th over without further loss.

Dereham's second and third teams both saw their games called off due to the weather, and the under-17s Junior Carter Cup quarter-final against Norwich on Sunday was also postponed because of rain.

The first team are at home to Mundford this Saturday, while the A team travel to Snettisham and the B team play Snettisham A at Elsing.