Swaffham, after losing to lowly Long Melford with a depleted squad, will be hoping for a better Saturday this weekend when they host Brantham Athletic, third in Ridgeons Division One (ko 3pm).

Swaffham, after losing to lowly Long Melford with a depleted squad, will be hoping for a better Saturday this weekend when they host Brantham Athletic, third in Ridgeons Division One (ko 3pm).

Long Melford 2, Swaffham Town 1

Swaffham, still suffering from injuries and other absences, travelled to Suffolk with a depleted squad.

Not the best of starts for the Pedlars, conceding in the second minute, unable to clear a ball crossed from the left and passed across the area to be met by the Melford number 10.

Swaffham bounced back and saw Lewis Hemeter hit a post from a Jordan Seaman free-kick.

Further chances fell to Paul Shafer and a tremendous volley by Stuart Seales deflected for a corner.

Swaffham continued applying pressure and saw Ben Russell latching onto a Shafer corner, driving narrowly wide fron 25 yards.

The scoreline evened in the 44th minute following dogged resistance by Tim Kavanagh in midfield, winning the ball to play Stuart Seales in to shoot.

A Melford defender swung to clear but deflected the ball into his own net.

The second half saw opportunities at both ends, both keepers playing their part by making stops.

Tim Kavanagh, carrying an injury, was replaced by Lee Frost in the 62nd minute.

Melford scored the winner in the 70th minute, a long through ball picked up and slotted past Lee Brooks.

There was better luck for Swaffham's other matches this weekend - the reserves completing the double over Wells Town Reserves with an impressive 7-2 victory, two goals each for Ben Durrant, Matthew Coe and Stephen Aspery the final one from Nathan Clarke.

The A-team bagged a well-deserved point, drawing 2-2 at home to Hingham Athletic, goals from Adam Figura (penalty) and Daniel Wilson.

Swaffham Reserves are without a fixture next weekend and the A-team travel to Narborough for another local derby (2pm).

The club will be presenting a cheque to 'Help for Heroes' before the Ridgeons League kick-off, the proceeds of the Tom Meranghi Memorial Trophy contested earlier

this season.