Dereham Town made up ground on the leading pack at Fortress Aldiss Park as two of their big rivals dropped valuable points.

The Magpies retained their 100pc home record with a 3-0 win over Wivenhoe Town, and while leaders Mildenhall won again, Wisbech Town and Kirkley & Pakefield were both held to draws.

The Fenmen were held to a 2-2 draw at home by CRC, while Paul Tong's Kirkley – third overnight – drew 1-1 at Thetford Town.

It means Dereham jump to third in the table, four points behind Wisbech with three games in hand, and above Brantham, on goal difference.

There were defeats for Gorleston - beaten 2-0 at Hadleigh – and Norwich United, who went down 2-0 at home to Stanway Rovers.

Dereham made the early running against Wivenhoe, who were reduced to 10 men in the 33rd minute when Liam Dadds was dismissed after a foul on Shaun Bammant.

Sam Borrer blasted a powerful 20-yarder just off target and Bammant drilled a left-foot shot over before giving Dereham the lead three minutes after the restart when he finished off a four-man move.

It was 2-0 on 61 minutes when midfielder Scott Roberts unleashed a stunning left-foot drive from distance.

It was all over seven minutes from time when Luke Tuttle got in on the act, thumping a powerful 30-yarder past the keeper.

Leaders Mildenhall were 3-1 winners at Haverhill Rovers, courtesy of a Kris Thomas hat-trick, which opened up a three-point gap over Wisbech, whose goals came from Dubi Agbonna. Town finished with nine men after Jon Fairweather and Paul Cousins were sent off.

A late goal from John Curtis saw Thetford claim a well-deserved point at home to Kirkley & Pakefield, who went ahead midway through the second half with a header from Ross King.

But in the closing minutes Curtis got behind the visitors' defence and lifted the ball over the advancing keeper.

Two second-half goals by Kevin Coyle did the damage at Plantation Park, where new Norwich United manager Damien Hilton is still waiting for his first league win.

In front of a crowd of just 31, United had the better of the first half, but wasted a number of opportunities.

In Division One, Swaffham Town were 4-0 winners at bottom side Cornard United, while neighbours Downham Town beat Debenham LC 4-1, and Fakenham lost 2-0 at Whitton United,

Dean Miller opened the scoring for Swaffham, with the second coming soon after, Alex Vincent clipping the ball into the top corner.

Jack Redhead was rewarded for his efforts early in the second half, mopping up the loose ball after Vincent's shot was parried by the goalkeeper.

The final goal came in the last minute of normal time, Neil Goodbourn scoring on his Swaffham debut.

Luke Plumb scored a hat-trick for Downham Town, whose other goal came courtesy of the opposition.