Soham Town Rangers 1 Dereham 3
Dereham had to battle hard to take the points in this mid-table clash.
In the opening minutes they had to defend two long throws that Soham's Lewis McDonald hurled into their box, but on both occasions visiting captain Dan Morphew headed clear to ease the danger.
On the sticky Julius Martin Lane pitch Dereham had the first chance in the 12th minute when Adam Smith's corner from the right fell to David Hinton, but the midfielder scuffed his shot wide when well placed.
Ryan Crisp cut inside and drilled a low drive into keeper Niall Conroy's arms before drama at the opposite end.
goal Cemal Ramadan beat visiting keeper Josh Glover with a superb 25-yard curler, but it didn't count because Simon Swinton had left the field of play and returned without permission – an offence which earned the Soham skipper a yellow card.
To add salt to the wound, Dereham soon went in front when the prolific Joe Gatting volleyed home from the right with 24 minutes on the clock.
Soham's Ramadan missed a great chance to equalise and Soham were made to pay in the 30th minute when Crisp extended Dereham's lead, netting from a tight angle.
On half-time Gatting ballooned a shot way over before a close-range effort was hacked off the line.
Soham got back in the game straight after the re-start when Callum Ramadan drilled home from close range.
Crisp displayed good skill before chipping a dangerous ball across the home box that Soham cleared at the far post.
Danny Beaumont hit a fierce 30-yard drive that flew over the bar and the Dereham man then saw an effort deflected for a corner after receiving Myron Abodune's ball inside.
Dereham finally extended their lead in the 80th minute with a quality finish from Gatting. After receiving Beaumont's flick the striker steered home his second of the game with a precise left-foot drive to secure victory.
Dereham: Glover, Grant (Abodune 60), Black, Linford, Frary, Morphew, Hinton, Smith, Gatting (Wiltshire 90), Crisp (Sainsbury-Logan 8), Beaumont.
Referee: H Cutmore.
Attendance: 115
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