All set for an exciting title battle

With the season approaching the halfway stage the Norfolk Merit Tables are beginning to shape up, with the better teams gradually working their way to the top.

Last season's Division One champions Norwich Medics are sitting in fifth place but with games in hand, and having only lost once so far, they are in the right place for another high finish.

Beccles and Norwich second teams, however, will have something to say about this as they too have only been on the wrong side of the scorecard once. Holt and North Walsham are propping up the table but this is due more to cancelled fixtures than poorer results than the other teams at the bottom

In Division Two it's the two newcomers who are leading the way. Both Fakenham and Lakenham left the Eastern Counties Leagues to concentrate on rebuilding their squads, and are looking strong favourites to step into the top flight next season.

Fakenham are undefeated while Lakenham's only defeat came at the hands of their closest rivals. Those in the top half of the table, including Wymondham and West Norfolk III, are beginning to open up a gap while securely at the foot of the table are North Walsham, who are struggling to find players each week. Of the three divisions this is probably the most reliable with otherwise very few fixtures being cancelled.

Division Three is headed by Swaffham II, relegated at the end of last season and hoping to bounce straight back up. It may not be that easy, as Medics II are also sitting pretty, and it looks as though it will be one of these two who takes the title in April.

There is already an eight point gap back to Norwich Union II and Lowestoft and Yarmouth III, so the rest of the division may be playing for third. With the early loss of Beccles III and Dereham II it is pleasing to see re-formed Lakenham II holding their place mid-table.