Depleted Magpies beaten in five-goal thriller

Depleted Heacham suffered their seventh league defeat of the season last night at play-off-chasing Dereham in the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division.A spirited performance from the Magpies, who fielded an extremely young side, wasn’t quite good enough to see them bring something back from their Norfolk rivals.Heacham found themselves without a string of experience with Matty Franks, Toby Hilliard, Matty Prudence, Liam Mitchell and Tommy Hunt, to name a few, missing from their squad.Dereham scored twice in the opening few minutes through Brad Spooner and Charlie Clarke and another very difficult night looked in store for Paul Hunt’s side.But they displayed great character as Jordan Goult pulled a goal back with a header and sixteen-year-old Conall Forde netted his first senior goal to restore parity on the stroke of half-time.Dereham’s third arrived early in the second half as former Downham Town striker James Moore lashed home what proved to be the winning goal.On Saturday, Heacham take a break from league action when they travel to Harleston Town in the FA Vase.Heacham: Watson, Akers, Robinson, Goult, Dear, Willmott, Wood, Davies, Prentice, Forder, Reeve. Subs: Hutton, Pightling, Robinson, Parker, Smith.