Dereham slumped to their first defeat of the season as Soham Town Rangers left Aldiss Park with all three points.

Dereham Town 1 Soham Town Rangers 2

Dereham slumped to their first defeat of the season as Soham Town Rangers left Aldiss Park with all three points.

The Magpies got their noses in front in the sixth minute when Rhys Logan rounded his man and pulled the ball back to Eoin McQuaid who finished from 18 yards.

However, Soham soon equalised when Sam Mulready headed home a cross from the right two minutes later.

The baking heat and hard surface was making it difficult for both sides. In the 21st minute Auger's cross from the left reached the unmarked Mulready whose flicked header forced home keeper Elliott Pride into a superb reflex save.

The dangerous Mulready then missed a great chance, after being put clean through he guided the ball wide as Pride advanced.

Wones had a header deflected for a corner which Dion Frary headed off target in the 43rd minute.

In added time Wones diverted Hawkins' deep free kick off target from an actuate angle. Shortly after the restart Pride dived full length to turn aside Toby Andrews' drive.

The visitors went in front in the 55th minute when Mulready created space inside the box and forced the ball home.

Dereham were struggling to keep possession constantly giving the ball away.

In the 64th minute Soham's Auger drilled over the top from distance. Logan lost the ball on the right enabling Jake Andrews to test Pride from 20 yards and the keeper saved well. From the resultant corner Cameron Watson fired over from close range in the 75th minute.

The Magpies continued to search for openings but could not find a way through the Soham defence. They pushed men forward but did not find the quality required to net the equaliser.

Dereham: Pride, Matthews, Imrie (Smith 65), Murphy, Wones, Frary, Logan, McQuaid, Crisp (Hilliard 55), Hawkins (Clarke 77), Hipperson. Subs not used: Linford, Dickerson.

Soham Town Rangers: Pope, Russell, Brown, Claxton, Watson, Okay, Andrews, R Auger (D Auger 85th), Allan (Conway 73), Mulready, Andrews. Subs not used:: Groves, Foxall-Grayburn

Referee: Mr J Crofts

Attendance: 237