Walpole calls time on managerial role

Fakenham Town caretaker boss Alex Walpole has stepped down with less than two months of the season remaining.Walpole had taken the position on in December but he departed before Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw at home to Mulbarton Wanderers.Fakenham are eighth in the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division with nine matches left to play.A statement from the club’s board stated: “‘The Directors of Fakenham Town Football Club would like to announce that from Saturday 1st March, Alex Walpole stepped down from his role as Caretaker Manager.“He was offered the post as full time manager back in December but declined this and said that he would carry on in a non-playing role until the end of the season. Circumstances changed and he resigned at the weekend.“We would like to thank Alex for all the hard work he has put in and wish him every success in his next venture.“Following the departure of Alex Walpole from the First Team with immediate effect, Neil Jarvis and Stephen Harvey will be looking after all First Team affairs until the end of the season. “Both are major parts of the club structure and we are pleased that they have agreed to carry on developing the players and overseeing team selection. Thanks Neil and Stephen. Best of luck for the rest of the season.” Neil Jarvis and Stephen Harvey oversaw the draw with Mulbarton when Jayden Wright’s stoppage-time equaliser rescued a point after Ashley Jarvis put the visitors ahead.The point followed on from a 2-1 loss at Brantham Athletic last weekend, Jake Watts scoring a first-half equaliser from the spot.It’s another big game for Fakenham this Saturday as they host leaders Downham Town. There’s a six-point gap for Downham but just three points then separate Thetford Town in second and Fakenham in eighth.Downham were indebted to a late penalty save by goalkeeper Harry Sutton, atoning for his own poor clearance, as they were held to a 1-1 draw by lowly Lakenheath last weekend. Dylan Kirk had scored at the second attempt in the first half to cancel out an early opener for the visitors.The draw ended a run of seven successive league wins for Downham since the turn of the year.