It’s felt like a difficult start to the season. No match on the opening day, a switch to cup football before back to league competition. It seemed hard to get to know the squad of which as many as eight are new this year.

But then we had the win at Hertford and in a solid all round performance the team seemed to have found its feet. Goals from two of those new eight players and great defensive work from three more has surely brought this team into focus with the fans.

The win at Hertford will have etched the current squad into the minds of supporters and the visit of Dereham Town gives both fans and players the chance cement the relationship. The season proper starts with this game. Oh, and there could well be an addition to our squad by Saturday.

Every game is different of course and the team from Norfolk are not coming to play a bit part in the afternoon’s entertainment. They don’t lack spirit and reached this stage of the competition with an extra time replay win over Step 4 Ipswich Wanderers after trailing by a goal to nil five minutes into added time.

Since our Isthmian League meetings with Dereham they have dropped into the Eastern Counties League where they currently sit in fifth place having scored 11 goals and conceded 5.

Should the game be drawn, we will travel to Dereham for the replay on Tuesday night. If necessary, directions to Aldiss Park will be available on the website.

There’s £2,250 from the prize fund for the winners of this tie and £750 for the losers.

The souvenir programme, available at the gate for £1.50, has the normal range of articles along with Paul Halsey’s views on the last two matches.

Our record against Dereham:-