NINE-times winners of the Norfolk Senior Cup, Fakenham Town face a trip to Anglian Combination Premier outfit Sheringham on Saturday in the third round.

Sheringham are mid-table, having won at home to the Sterry Cup's early pace-setters Mattishall 1-0 at the weekend.

Fakenham Town 1, Godmanchester Rovers 1

IN a Ridgeons One match in which both sides had penalties saved the Ghosts again showed their frailties in front of goal, squandering two points to a side that were two places below them in the league going into the game, writes Paul Wright.

In a very shaky opening they conceded a goal after just six minutes when keeper Tom Rix punched a corner out to Hall on the edge of the area, who blasted the ball back into the top corner.

Fakenham continued to look under pressure and Colmer shot just wide after a neat one-two in the area with Lloyd. Fakenham slowly got a grip and levelled the scores after 16 minutes when Karl Pask was on the end of a flowing move. Jason Cole's crossfield ball picked out Ben Coe on the left wing, and his perfect cross was side-footed in from close range.

Pask went close soon after when he bent a fierce shot the wrong side of a post, then Coe struck a long-range free-kick that skimmed an upright.

Godmanchester went close to regaining the lead when Bass blasted a free-kick from the edge of the area against the inside of a post. The ball deflected along the goal-line with no one on hand to give the final touch.

The second half was a similar tale, with both sides guilty of misses. But the story of the half was two penalty misses. Fakenham's Rix did very well to dive to his right to turn Bass' spot-kick round a post after 52 minutes.

Nicky Bunting and Pask were combining well to carve out chances, but always lacked the final killer touch, although the introduction of youngsters Daniel Savory and Jake Betts, in place of the injured Bunting and Cole, injected some tempo into the game, with Fakenham looking the more likely to break the deadlock.

In the 80th minute Coe was sent tumbling over in the area, but skipper Stephen Harvey sent a very lame penalty kick to the keeper's left, and he had no trouble saving.

Coming at a crucial point in the game, supporters felt that Fakenham could have gone on to secure the three points and climb the table had the penalty been converted.

As it was, they were left with their third draw in eight games, leaving them just above the basement teams.

Fakenham Reserves won 3-2 at home to Heacham in the second round of the Norfolk Junior Cup, having been 3-0 up at one stage in the second half.

They entertain Sheringham Reserves on Saturday while the clubs' senior sides are in cup action along the coast.