Haverhill Rovers 3 Fakenham Town 0

Haverhill looked to maintain their recent good run when they entertained lowly table sitters Fakenham Town on Saturday.

The game started in tricky conditions with heavy rain creating a sticky pitch that both teams did well to adapt to. Haverhill looked the more confident from the start as they played some positive football and forced a number of early corners that tested the home defence as Farrant twice went close with headers from Shinn corners.

At the other end the visitors were limited to long range efforts that rarely threatened the comfortable looking Archer in the home goal as the Rovers defence looked solid. Kicks then went close for Haverhill when he cut in from the right and shot just wide of the Fakenham goal. Luke Haines then linked well with Weaver as the Rovers midfielder played a one two and beat the visitors defence before bringing a good save out of Akers who did well to tip a Haines shot over the bar.

Rovers continued to have the upper hand as Baker then played a good through ball to the left to Haines who beat the visitors defence before he spotted Akers off his line and superbly chipped the visitors keeper as the ball dipped below the bar to give the home team a deserved lead at the interval.

The conditions remained a challenge into the second half but again both teams did well with the conditions but it was again Rovers who remained the better team as they dominated possession as Weaver and Kicks both went close to increasing the lead.

Fakenham worked hard through the midfield but again got little out of the Rovers back four of Moody, Farrant, Wilderspin and Kemp who looked solid throughout.  Shinn then delivered another good corner into the visitor’s box that created a scramble resulting in the ball falling to Weaver who hit a shot on the turn past the outstretched Akers to double the Rovers lead.

The visitors continued to work hard to get men forward as they looked to try and get back into the game but continued to look second best as Rovers looked the bigger threat on the counter.  It was from one of these attacks that they soon added a third when a good through ball put Kicks through on goal which then bought a save off Akers who blocked the Rovers wide man’s shot but Kicks was on hand to smash the ball home for his team’s third goal of the day.

Rory Jebb then nearly finished the day on the score sheet when he went close to increasing the lead further which was the last real chance of the game that finished with a well-deserved home win for the Rovers who keep up their good run of form.

TEAM: Archer, Moody, Kemp, Shinn (Jebb 82), Farrant, Wilderspin, Newnes (Gardner 75), Baker, Weaver, Kicks, Haines (Stevenson 65)

Unused subs: Longley