The league leaders are in town as Dereham prepare for the toughest of Christmas challenges on Saturday, writes Gavin Caney.

The Magpies' dose of festive football comes 24 hours after Boxing Day when they welcome Ryman Division One North table-toppers Needham Market to Aldiss Park.

And three points would be a delightful gift for Dereham boss Matt Henman against a team that have a three-point gap at the top of the tree going into the season of goodwill.

Whether they will offer any gifts for their hosts at Aldiss Park is unknown, but Market were less than charitable against Wroxham last time out when they won 2-0. Dereham, on the other hand, were without a match on Saturday when their scheduled trip to Waltham Abbey fell foul of wet weather.

The Magpies sit ninth – and crucially have games in hand on all of their top-five rivals – yet are just one point off the play-off places.

They will have to do without loan striker Ryan Crisp at the weekend mind. He is ineligible to face his parent club.