You could tell this game was played in Norfolk as not only did several of the protagonists know eachother very well many were also closely related.

Despite the closenesss of the relationship no love was lost once the whistle blew in this bruising encounter which was watched by a large and somewhat partisan crowd who bayed for blood and duly got some.

The 6ths started brightly and for most of the first half dominated play. Beng younger fitter and generally more skillful than the vets they wooed the crowd with their fast flowing moves and boyish good looks.

But it was the Veterans who had the first chance when Ian White played Steve M (formally known as player 'X')into the D with a nice one-two making him one to one with the keeper  in an effort to make it one nil, but didn't.  Martin came close off a rebound which was saved and Robert and Jerry also had a chance or two.

Full marks to 'Peanut' in the 6ths goal who made some  magnificent saves during the game and was made the 6ths man of the match. Although one of the chaps in yellow apparently came in second.

As the half progressed the 6ths dominated the midfield and piled more and more pressure on the Vets goal with Simon making his customary saves in fine style to thwart the youthful attack bringing cries of "oooh" and "ahhhh" and one cry of "kill him!" from the largely female crowd.

However it wasn't enough to stop James Lavers (Lavers minor) scoring to put the 6ths ahead after several very promising attacks. With some more chances at both ends it looked as if there were more goals on the way. But there weren't

1-0 to the 6ths at half time.

The second half kicked off and proved slightly more even with the veterans again breaking through, Steve was stopped by Ben Lovesay's head, providing a fat lip, he then fell over a few minutes later causing more abrasions and finally bounced across the surface when scoring the winner, meaning was forced to sleep with sticking plasters on various appendages that night "to stop blood getting on the sheets" but more of that later.

Next casualty was the 6ths John Price who limped off with a calf injury (the leg, not a young cow).

The veterans peppered the young 6th team goalkeeper in a goal mouth frenzy until banadana'd president Jerry Reeve struck home  to even the score.

Next in a similar goal mouth scramble Pete Lavers crossed for Steve to put the ball into the empty goal (his favourite sort of goal scoring opportunity) to make it 2-1.

Then the balance of play swung back to the 6ths who laid siege to the Vets goal. With Bill Wiseman, Jacko Jackson and Richard Turner proving as hard to get around on the pitch as they normally  are in the bar. Even then it looked  only a matter of time before an equalizer was scored.

Robert Mann managed to get a green card for trying to get  too closely acquainted with a 6th team forward from behind in an act almost certainly against decency laws, and the 6ths won a series of short corners following one or two decisions later described as 'interesting' although the crowd seemed to approve.

The 6ths pushed up for an equalizer but a very slow breakaway by president Reeve put him one on one with the keeper, having rounded him and pushed the ball in a gesture he later described as a 'pass' (and definitely not a loss of control) he pushed the ball into the path of rampaging forward Steve Marsh who scored, then tripped then tumbled causing more loss of skin and some more blood for the crowd to cheer.

With only five minutes to go and just when the crowd were thinking there could not possible be more entertainment (or blood) than this the 6ths got a penalty flick clearly the most interesting decision of the game.

Young Lavers following in his fathers footsteps didn't manage to convert as his flick was saved by Simon but unlike his father and to his eternal credit did not express the wish to remove someone else's head as a result.

Neil then scored for the 6ths (his captain couldn't remember his last name when I asked him so apologies for that) and a few minutes later in a frantic effort to push through the defence he ran into Bill Wiseman, never a particularly wise thing to do, and provided more entertainment for the crowd with a fast flowing nosebleed.

The final whistle blew to end a very hotly contested game which could have been 9-9 if it had not been for some great defending and high class goalkeeping at both ends and some fairly feeble shooting from the veterans forwards.

The teams leave the field at the end of the Dereham derby

Scorers (league games) This season


Steve Marsh      10

Brian Reid           6*

Ian White             6

Jerry Reeve        5

Martin Bohn        3

Matt Hawker       2

Les Howlett        1

Robert Mann      1

Shane Barnes   1

*scored in an abandoned game