Heacham visit was a festive treat

Mark Hearle ventured out for a taste of non-league action at the weekend and reflects on his visit to the Heacham v Downham game in the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division.I try to bang the drum as much as I can in this column about the local non-league football scene, so when the offer came along (thank you, Mr P) of a trip to Heacham to watch the derby encounter with Downham Town last weekend, I duly jumped at the opportunity.I’d heard about all of the good things the Magpies have been up to recently and was keen to see what the noise is all about.And from what I saw on Saturday I certainly wasn’t disappointed, both on and off the pitch.From arriving to finally departing the welcome I was afforded by people so obviously very proud of what they had achieved to date and to what they’re looking to achieve in the future was both amazing and refreshing in equal measure.The club’s rise to Eastern Counties level football has been well documented and the work that has been carried out has now made the ground itself a very well-appointed venue and one which is enjoyable to take in an afternoon of football, I can duly confirm.The gloomy weather was quickly dispelled for me as both teams gave their all, as you would expect, to achieve local bragging rights in less-than-perfect conditions. In the end, the home team, in my opinion, ran out deserved 3-1 winners – much to the delight of the majority of the impressive 244 people who had braved the dark day. The hosts are predominantly a young side who are very much learning on the job as it were and this result will do them absolutely no harm at all as the scalp of a very good Downham side these days is a prized possession.If you needed any further proof of the youthful nature of the Heacham team I was reliably informed that two of the used substitutes were just 16 years of age – and that does make you feel old.It was good to catch up with manager Paul Hunt after the game who appears to be enjoying the role he took on in the summer after a while out of the game. Paul will know that there is still much work to do to firmly establish his side at this level of football and, make no mistake, it is a very good and hard standard to play at.As for Downham boss Dale Stokes’s view was, as you would expect, rather different as he rued his team’s missed chances. He need not worry; I’m sure his side will be good again soon. There’s far too much quality and experience in it.It just wasn’t to be for them on the day. If you haven’t visited the Magpies yet, make sure you do before the end of the season. I, for one, will most certainly be paying another visit in the not-too-distant future.It wasn’t to be for the Linnets who dropped valuable points in the 2-2 draw with strugglers Needham Market last Thursday – the club’s final home game of 2024.Town led twice on the day but couldn’t hold out for a win that would have taken them top after morning leaders Curzon Ashton surprisingly slipped up at home to Farsley Celtic.Those two results on their own only serve to confirm the nature of National League North this season where consistency is lacking amongst all of those teams who have an eye on promotion in 2025. There was general disappointment across Lynn’s fan base following the game, which is understandable, but those who were bemoaning the dropped points will do well to cast their minds back 12 months and remind themselves of where the club was at that point.As I said last week Adam Lakeland has made much progress with his team over the last year and they are still very much a work in progress and patience will be key over the coming early months of 2025.One thing I didn’t agree with was the Linnets’ boss criticism of the quietness of The Walks Boxing Day crowd following the game. Just over 1,200 made the effort to support their team but Lakeland felt they could have done more to, as he put it, ‘get his side over the line’.I know from experience how quiet The Walks can be at times but that is the nature of the majority of those who attend the games. They do though need to be entertained because when that happens the noise usually follows. It is a two-way thing with one leading the other but the players must keep their side of the bargain as well.A 1,200-odd crowd is something that can be built on as the season enters its second half.The club has provided offers on general admission of late and it is something that hopefully we will see continue in the future as the effects of this were seen last week.The club now see out the old year and usher in the new one with two away fixtures at Scunthorpe United on New Year’s Eve and Warrington on January 4. These are two potentially difficult fixtures but ones where they need points from.So that’s another calendar year almost completed, so it is a time to thank all of the loyal readers of this column for their words of (mostly) support over the past 12 months and also the YLP and Greg Plummer for allowing me the space to pen my thoughts and observations each week.I wish you all a safe and happy New Year.