Cunningham left frustrated by Fakenham Town defeat
Thurlow Nunn Premier
Fakenham Town 0
Newmarket Town 4
Fakenham Town manager Andy Cunningham was left frustrated at the manner of the defeat after the Ghosts were beaten by Newmarket Town on Saturday.
Fakenham went down 0-4 to the Jockeys at Clipbush Park, despite a promising start and an encouraging first-half display, with Newmarket making the most of a string of individual errors to record a comprehensive victory.
Cunningham’s side’s misery was compounded when Jordan Cantwell was shown a straight red card with the Ghosts’ boss forced to admit his side were well beaten by the better side.
“It was frustrating, they deserved their win in the second half and we just lacked conviction,” he said.
“We gave the ball away too much and made too many mistakes which Newmarket punished us for.
“The timing of their goals had a big impact on the game, to concede with the last kick before half-time and then with the first kick of the second-half was a big blow.
“I thought up until they scored, we were well in the game and had been playing well, created chances and had a couple of good opportunities to get our noses in front.
“But once they scored, and things start going against you, it is difficult when you are down there to lift yourselves and we have got to do that.”
Fakenham went into the game looking to build on a positive performance in their previous outing against Brantham, a game which despite losing the Ghosts were able to take plenty of positives from and the same could be said for how they started against the Jockeys.
With just five minutes on the clock, Ross Brewster delivered an excellent ball across Newmarket’s six-yard box but despite Ricky Claxton and Kyle Plumb hovering in the penalty area neither could connect.
Some nice work from Jordan Cantwell on the left allowed Claxton time and space a few minutes later but he could only direct his effort into the hands of Alex Archer in the Newmarket goal.
Had the Ghosts managed to make their early pressure tell it may have been a different story but once Newmarket went ahead on the stroke of half-time courtesy of Jordan Lambert the Jockeys didn’t look back.
Seconds after the restart and Lewis Whitehead had given Fakenham a mountain to climb when he added the visitor’s second and the striker secured his brace 16 minutes from time to make it 3-0 before Samuel Gomarsall’s late strike made it 4-0 with five minutes remaining.
n In Division One, Swaffham Town were left frustrated by a serious power outage which left referee George Byrne no alternative but to abandon the game after 13 minutes.
Following the very wet weather in the previous week, the heavy rainfall prior to kick-off had put the game in doubt before its abandonment.
The scores were level at one apiece at the time.
Halstead went ahead after five minutes, with Ryan Pearson levelling after nine.
The power disruption has affected both the clubhouse and floodlighting system.
Every effort will be made to rectify the cause this week, but there is the possibility that the club’s next two home first team fixtures, against Leiston and Little Oakley respectively, could be in doubt.
Please check the website at: www.swaffhamtownfc.co.uk and social media for further updates ahead of the games.
King’s Lynn Town Reserves were without a league fixture at the weekend.
