Fakenham travelled to Diss for the first game of the new year, and eleventh fixture in the league season. Fakenham won a tight game between these sides at the Stringer Ground in September so this promised to be another good battle.

A pre-match luncheon meant a big crowd ready to be entertained on a cold, but thankfully dry and clear day, with no wind to speak about.

Diss started the game strongly, dominating possession and making great use of it. A penalty three minutes into the game gave the home side to chance to open the scoring by successfully kicking for goal.

They continued to make the most of their control with a couple of tries in as many minutes, with one conversion. Another converted try ten minutes later gave the home side a daunting 22 - 0 lead.

Fakenham immediately fought back, scoring their first try a couple of minutes later through loose head Matty King. He took the ball inside the Diss 22 with seemingly nothing on, but through sheer grit and determination, shrugged off a couple of tackles before powering through a final attempt to stretch the ball out over the line. Full back and captain Lloyd Marshall successfully knocked over the conversion.

Diss fired back with their fourth, bonus point securing, try, though it went unconverted.

Fakenham scored next, through outside centre Aaron Tagg. With a rare bit of sustained possession, Fakenham were able to spin the ball wide, where winger Tom Bane-Young tiptoed down the line and, before being pushed into touch, managed to offload inside for Tagg to dot down over the line. Marshall nailed an impressive conversion from wide on the left.

There was still time for the home side to get one more unconverted score before the break, leaving it 32 - 14 at half time.

The first score after the break was clearly going to be vital, and as such neither side was willing to budge for the first twenty minutes of the half. At that point, two quick fire tries for Diss, with one converted, ended the game as a contest.

Fakenham did however score their third try ten minutes from time to give them something to aim for at the end of the match. Matty King got his second try in similar circumstances to the first, powering through attempted tackles to force his way over the line from close range. This time Marshall couldn't add the extras from the left.

As Fakenham looked for their fourth try to get a bonus point from the game, it was Diss that broke out of their half to score their eighth and final try. A straightforward conversion from in front of the posts followed.

Fakenham continued to press for their fourth try, but gave away a penalty in the Diss 22 to hand back possession, allowing them to run out the clock and end the game by kicking to touch.

A tough result for Fakenham, who travelled with only 16 and were down to 14 in the second half after injury forced two players off. They battled well despite this, finishing the game with 13 after another injury. Diss did their best to level things out in the second half, with three yellows and a red card.

Diss ran out deserved winners, dominating possession in the early periods and making it count.

The Barsham Brewery Man of the Match went to Matt King, who was great at the set piece and showed the fight that Fakenham needed, scoring two tries in the process.

Next week sees Fakenham host Cantabrigian at the Stringer Ground, the unbeaten league leaders. Come down and support the boys as their unbeaten home record faces its sternest test.