Ghosts aiming to march up division

Fakenham Town were left kicking their heels at the weekend when the pitch at Stowmarket proved unplayable.

Results in the few Ridgeons First Division games that were played went in the Ghosts' favour, however, as all three sides below them lost, writes John Cushion.

Bottom team Cornard United (seven points from 24 games) lost 6-1 at leaders Cambridge University Press; Downham Town (16 from 25) lost 3-0 at promotion hopefuls Diss Town; Team Bury (18 from 21) were thumped 6-1 at Thetford and Long Melford (23 from 21) drew 1-1 at home to Halstead. Fakenham have 23 points from 22 matches.

The Ghosts are at home on Saturday to March Town United who are mid-table with 31 points from 20 games. The sides are due to play the return at March midweek on March 15.

Manager Wayne Andrson has had time for injured players to recover and for the young players he is calling upon to have caught their breath, but he will be frustrated that his squad could not use the 5-1 home win over Cornard as an immediate springboard to try to achieve a consistent run of better results.

Not once this season in all competitions have Fakenham achieved back-to-back wins. They did have two successive drawn games, but against that have come runs of four and three consecutive defeats.

The Ghosts also face far more away games in the closing stages of the campaign than home ones.

Fakenham Reserves are seventh in Division Four of the Anglian Combination with 24 points from 16 games.

Their weekend home match with St Andrews was postponed but they should be back in action at Caister on Saturday (ko 2.30pm).

On the social front, this year's summer ball will be held on June 11 in a marquee in the centre of the Clipbush Park pitch, the seventh year of this popular event.

Tickets will shortly be on sale at �48 each. See Paul Wright or Nigel Allen for details.

Saturday sees a race night at the clubhouse, 7.30pm start.