Heacham boss reflects on the positives as his depleted side are beaten by Dereham in Thurlow Nunn Premier Division
Heacham manager Paul Hunt believes his depleted side will soon turn a corner after a 3-1 home defeat to Dereham in the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division on Tuesday night.
Former Norwich City striker Grant Holt headed Dereham in front at Station Road before new Heacham signing Joe Jackson redressed the balance with an equaliser two minutes later.
The home side remained in the game and looked as if they would pick up their first point of the season but were undone by late goals from former Downham Town frontman James Moore and Mac Gee.
Heacham handed teenage midfielder Harvey Pightling, 16, his first start at Step 5.
Reflecting on the defeat - Heacham's third this season - Hunt said: "We don't like losing at all and there isn't a losing mentality in our dressing room.
"You don't walk in that dressing room and people are blaming each other, there's a supportive feeling and it's a good place to be.
"No one likes losing but we also know that football has its ups and downs.
"There'll be times when we're having some fantastic ups and we'll remember those and there'll be times when we've had a few downs.
"We're not too down tonight. Yes, we are not happy that we've lost, but now we'll think about the next one."
Despite having several players out through injury and unavailability, the Heacham boss feels his players have acquitted themselves well in the opening weeks of the campaign.
"I've got what I'd call four powerhouses in midfield," said Hunt.
"I've got Nathan (Davies), I've got Mattie Franks, I've got Tommy (Hunt) and I've got Matty Prudence and tonight I've got one of them through injury and unavailability.
"It's hard to then change the game the the area. If you're putting players in midfield, you're taking it away from another area of the pitch.
"When we dropped Jack (Prentice) in there we've lost him up front so every way you move it, you're always weakening your team a little bit by moving it around.
"I've got youngsters on the bench who are learning the trade and going to be fantastic players, but at the moment they're not players who are gonna come on and change the game."
Hunt added: "We never took a backward step and accepted defeat so I'm immensely proud of the side tonight and that's only going to move onwards and upwards and forward.
"You are right, it's fine margins but there'll be times when the fine margins start to go our way because all of the top sides we've competed against we've never been out of the game.
"I thought there was a chance we might nick all three points and then they've scored.
"We pushed players on looking to get something back quick and then they got the second one because we've opened up the midfield, so that's the gamble."
On Saturday, Heacham are back in home action when they host Woodbridge Town.
Heacham: Watson, Akers, Cupit, Robinson, Dear, Davies, Pightling, Wood, Prentice, Hilliard, Jackson. Subs: Willmott, Goult, Beattie, Reeve, Pishorn.
Attendance: 274.
