Kirkley & Pakefield made it seven Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division matches without defeat on Tuesday evening - but returned home feeling disappointed.

The Royals had the majority of the play against Fakenham Town, currently just one off the bottom after recent club turmoil, but only had a point to show for their efforts after twice going in front.

The match at Clipbush Park opened brightly for the Royals, who scored after just eight minutes with Liam Harvey-Cooper tucking the ball away after a good run down the right and a perfect centre from Kyle Haylock.

The next 10 minutes or so saw the away team create chance after chance without putting them away and then the Ghosts started to play themselves into the game. Their best effort came on 34 minutes following a corner, with Lewis Hammond clearing a powerful header off the line.

Jack Herbert saw a trio of headers miss the target before the interval as the visitors went in at half-time one goal to the good..

On 58 minutes Haylock was put through by Baker but had a double effort kept out. Then, on the hour mark, the home team drew level after a ball from the right wing found Ricky Claxton whose shot found the back of the net.

The Royals were back ahead just three minutes later when Herbert was held back in the penalty area following a corner and Harvey-Cooper stepped up to score his second of the night from the spot, but only after a gallant attempt from the keeper who got his hands to the ball.

Fakenham fought back and levelled once more, Claxton scoring his second after running down the right and beating the advancing keeper Adam Rix.

The Royals responded well to that setback and were still doing much of the attacking but they failed to take advantage of some good opportunities and in doing so dropped two points against a newly formed Fakenham team that never gave up.

Kirkley & Pakefield: A Rix, M Wilson, T Grint, L Hammond, J Herbert (c), L Flower, K Haylock, M Lopez, K Baker, L Harvey-Cooper, J Haverson.

Subs unused: D Blades, M Wall, C Eagleton.

Kirkley & Pakefield Reserves moved further away from the drop zone in Anglian Combination Division One when they won 3-1 at home against Hoveton Wherrymen (Bradley Carroll, Macaulay Holt, Ryan Hunt).