Just a fortnight after renewing acquaintances Dereham Town and Wroxham will go head-to-head once again this evening.
The Ryman League North fixture schedule has given little time for the Magpies and Yachtsmen to look forward to another Norfolk derby clash. The pair last met on Tuesday, September 29 with Wroxham losing 2-0 to their counterparts from Aldiss Park. And they haven't had long to wait for a chance to try and reclaim the bragging rights against a team they beat in last season's county cup final.
The Norfolk Senior Cup holders head to Dereham safe in the knowledge their squad is growing in strength following a hard-hitting run of injuries and availabilty. A host of Stewart Larter's troops returned on Saturday and the impact was immediate with the Yachtsmen winning 2-0 at Redbridge.
Dereham on the other end had a weekend to forget as they crashed to a 4-0 home defeat against Cheshunt. Two goals in each half done for the Magpies who, according to their boss Matt Henman, had produced one of their best passing displays of the term and missed a host of chances before being picked apart by the visitors.
Despite that crushing loss, the hosts are still slight favourites going into the game – not just as a result of Ryan Crisp's goal and Luke Tuttle's penalty two weeks' ago. Dereham have finished above Wroxham in each of the last two seasons and sit above them in the table.
However, Wroxham, 13th and two points behind Henman's side having played two games less, can leapfrog them in the table if they can match the 3-2 after-extra-time victory which saw them win May's cup final encounter at Carrow Road.
Recent meetings
Sep 29 – League: Wroxham 0 Dereham 2
May 19 – Cup (at Norwich City): Wroxham 3 Dereham 2 (AET)
March 7 – League: Wroxham 3 Dereham 1
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