Heacham boss sets striker Golden Boot target

Heacham manager David Griggs is challenging young striker Fletcher Toll to go on and win the Golden Boot in his first full season in men’s football.

The teenage Magpies frontman is sitting third in the First Division North scoring charts going into Saturday’s home clash with Harwich and Parkeston at the Heacham Sports Field.

Toll has scored nine times in his last three games (28 for the season) and now finds himself three league goals behind Harwich’s Joseph Boreham-Knight and four shy of ex-Cornard striker Scott Christopher Sloots.

Griggs said: “I spoke to Fletcher after our win at Holland and there’s no reason why he shouldn’t fancy himself to score at least another hat-trick in one of our three remaining games.

“He’s only four goals behind a lad who isn’t playing at this level anymore so it is very much up for grabs.

“When Fletcher first came to us I don’t think he always believed in himself, but I always felt he had it and it was about finding that consistency in front of goal.

“He’s quite a shy lad but when it comes to scoring goals he is very hard to stop.”

Fourth-placed Harwich could still finish third with three wins from their final three fixtures, but Griggs is only worrying about his own side with so much firepower at his disposal.

As well as Toll, the Magpies have both John Flanagan and Nathan Davies in good form in front of goal, while Charlie Royle, 16, has joined the party and added to Heacham’s strength up front.

“I can’t see any team in our league or the one above stopping our forwards the form they’re in at the moment,” he said.

Joint Downham Town boss Craig Dickson, whose side are without a game this weekend, says his team are preparing for the play-offs despite two good wins against Debenham LC and AFC Sudbury Reserves over Easter.

Downham are two points clear at the top going into their final home game of the campaign against Framlingham next weekend.

But with rivals Heacham still having three games and nine points to play for, the Downham chief has all but conceded the title to the Magpies.

Dickson said: “It was a good weekend at the Memorial and people seem to be enjoying the upgraded environment with the refurbished clubhouse.

“We’ve picked up two wins and have found our form again ready for the play-offs. We’ve secured the club’s highest finish in decades but still need to take that next step and win the play-offs to secure promotion.

“We can’t control the outcome of the title and fully expect Heacham to go on and pick up the required points. They are in good form and would require a major blow up to even give us a chance going into our final game.

“The boys are in training Saturday morning and then a free afternoon. I imagine a couple of boys will head over to Heacham, but personally it’s a chance to spend time with the family and more focused on the Grand National than what Heacham are doing.”

Elsewhere, Swaffham Town travel to basement boys Debenham LC having secured their First Division North status last weekend.

In the Premier Division, Fakenham Town host Mulbarton Wanderers on the back of a 2-1 victory over Hadleigh United last weekend.