Fakenham's nineteenth league game of the season saw them travel to Ipswich YM. In an entertaining reverse fixture at the end of November, Fakenham lost 24 - 31 at the Stringer Ground.

A glorious spring day made great weather for rugby, and a pre match luncheon provided a vociferous crowd.

A combination of work and illness meant Fakenham travelled light, with 14 players taking to the pitch. Despite this, they worked incredibly hard in the first half against the wind to keep the game in contention.

YM got on the scoreboard early on with a converted try, before Fakenham soon fought back. Good pass selection from scrum half Harry Richardson gave debutant winger Lewis Wall the chance to make impressive ground and take Fakenham just shy of the home try line. Outside centre Ashley Stewart then showed his strength to pick from the base of the ruck and spin out of a challenge to dive over the line in the left hand corner. Fly half and Captain Lloyd Marshall was just off target with his conversion from wide on the left.

In the middle of the first half, YM extended their lead with two quick tries, adding one conversion. However Marshall reduced it a few minutes later with a successful penalty kick in front of the posts.

With the final play of the half, the home side secured their try bonus point. The conversion was good to make the half time score 26 - 8.

Ipswich YM dominated the first 20 minutes of the second half, scoring 4 tries, with 2 conversions, to remove any chance of an unlikely win for the 14 men of Fakenham.

Nonetheless, Fakenham continued to fight. They started to enjoy some possession and managed to gain territory, spending time in the opposing 22. A quick tap penalty from Richardson found flanker Josh Gee, who showed his pace to evade the would be tacklers on the try line and dot down just to the left of the posts. Marshall added the extras.

A few minutes later YM scored again, with a conversion. But shortly afterwards Fakenham got their third try. Full back Tom Bane-Young ran hard to return a clearing kick, making ground through the middle before an adventurous offload over the top found inside centre Aaron Tagg. He sped to the line, before clever work allowed him to move in towards the posts. Marshall duly slotted the conversion.

YM scored once more with just a minute left on the clock, but took a quick conversion attempt, which was missed, that allowed the game to restart.

YM gamely kept the ball in play after the restart, allowing Fakenham the chance to search for their fourth try and resulting bonus point. However, it wasn't to be as the ball went dead and brought the game to an end, YM winning 62 - 22.

A deserved victory for Ipswich YM, who showed why they sit second in the league with a combination of strong forward carries and smart work in the backs, to take advantage of the tiring Fakenham defence in the second half.

A brilliant effort by everyone that pulled on the Fakenham shirt, with heads never going down and battling to the end.

As such the Barsham Brewery Man of the Match could have gone to any of the players, but deserving winners of the award were number eight Rob Ward and winger Lewis Wall. Veteran Ward showed great strength in the carry and brilliant work at the base to get the ball out of a scrum that was under pressure throughout the game. Debutant Wall made impressive ground with his carries and was brave in defence to put in some big collisions.

There is no game next week, but Fakenham host Mersea Island at the Stringer Ground in a couple of weeks, on the 22nd of March. Come and support the boys as they look to do the double after getting an impressive 29 - 24 victory in a tight game on the island in early December.