9th November 2024
Clapton Community FC vs Thetford Town @ Old Spotted Dog Ground - Forest Gate, East London
FA Vase Second Round (Step 6 vs Step 5)
15:00 KO
£5 entry
Attendance - 803
Half-time score: Clapton CFC 0-0 Thetford Town
Final Score: Clapton CFC 0-0 Thetford Town (Thetford Town win 8-7 on penalties)
Following Thetford Town's emphatic 6-1 victory over Cornard United in the First Round of the FA Vase, which included a superb 2nd half hat-trick from George Diggens, The Brecklanders were rewarded with an exciting trip down to East London in the 2nd Round of the competition to face Clapton CFC, the first ever meeting between these two teams. Over recent years Thetford Town have been drawing local and familiar opposition in cup competitions so I was personally buzzing to be heading down to the capital to follow the boys in claret and blue. It was also the chance to experience some unique football culture, I have seen quite a bit about Clapton CFC on social media platforms from their snappy football kit designs that always cause a stir to a visit from Norfolk's very own Ellis Platten on his excellent AwayDays channel, so knew we were in for a treat today.
Thetford Town went into the game as the higher level team, and near the summit of the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division, whereas Clapton CFC are just below the playoffs in the Step 6 Southern Counties East First Division. Despite this, Clapton CFC had home advantage, a passionate fan base, a large pool for talent to draw from in the London area and it is a cup game after all, so it was going to be a competitive game for sure!
The ground had a very unique feel to it with a great clubhouse, The Old Spotted Dog, with low prices and tonnes of fantastic football memorabilia.
Programmes were also on offer, free but with donations welcome, so of course I obliged.
It was a typical grey autumn day but importantly dry and calm. The grass looked on the long side and appeared to be bobbly in the warm-ups. In front of a huge 803 attendance, the home team lined up in their chequered red, white and black shirts, with Thetford Town in their away mint green kits. Just before kick-off, a minutes applause was held in remembrance of youth training coach Stephen Jenkins.
KEY MOMENTS
CC = Clapton CFC
TT = Thetford Town
32' - TT - Very even first 30mins, Clapton with a few half-chances, including a big chance when striker Brown is played in, but he cannot get the ball out from under his feet in-time before he is shut down. Thetford's first big chance comes from a corner. a King corner is whipped into the near-post, Gilchrist gets his head on the end, his glancing effort is heading at the far post but it is cleared off the line by the man on the post!
51' - TT - Grove down the right flank, first bit of space he has had all game, he cuts inside and into the box and powers in a strike across goal, but it is just wide of the far post.
66' - CC - The Clapton No.7, Fred Taylor, is threaded in, the ball hits a bobble and bounces into his hand, the fortuitous touch putting him through on goal and he slots in with a fine finish. Luckily for Thetford Town, the handball was spotted by the officials and the goal was chalked off.
PENALTIES
TT - GOAL (1-0) - King powers into the top left, no stopping that.
CC - GOAL (1-1) - Austin nails his effort.
TT - GOAL (2-1) - Money calmly slots into the bottom right corner.
CC - GOAL (2-2) - Briggs, blasts into the inside of the left-hand side netting.
TT - GOAL (3-2) - Olpin also emphatically drills the ball into the left hand side.
CC - GOAL (3-3) - Cook into the top right.
TT - SAVE (3-3) - Diggens effort into the bottom right saved by Francis
CC - SAVE (3-3) - Adejokun's effort saved by Dickerson!
TT - SAVE (3-3) - Wells also goes for the bottom right corner and the Francis is equal to it, a goal from CCFC seals it.
CC - SAVE (3-3) - Charlton steps-up, he goes low but Dickerson makes another superb save!
TT - GOAL (4-3) - H. Lott, first penalty of sudden death, cooly into the bottom corner.
CC - GOAL (4-4) - Unuefa keeps CCFC in the game.
TT - GOAL (5-4) - A laughing Elliot Smith wrong foots the keeper and strokes the ball into the open net.
CC - GOAL (5-5) - Brown hits low right, Dickerson dives and gets something on it but he cannot turn it around the post.
TT - GOAL (6-5) - Mann with a clinical finish to keep the pressure on CCFC.
CC - GOAL (6-6) - Sidky matches Jake, getting very tense!
TT - GOAL (7-6) - Laker with a no nonsense finish into the top right corner!
CC - GOAL (7-7) - Twumasi slots into the bottom left.
TT - GOAL (8-7) - J. Lott calmly slots in his spot-kick.
CC - SAVE (8-7) - Pryce goes down middle, and it is palmed away by Dickerson. THETFORD TOWN WIN!!!!!
Phew, I don't think I could have taken any more penalties, with 10 a piece the keepers were to be up next, but Dickerson pulled off his 3rd penalty save to send Thetford Town into the 3rd Round of the FA Vase for the first time since 1990! It was a hard fought victory and the lower division Clapton CFC nullified Thetford for most of the game and on-balance were the better side on the day. It was certainly a tense game, with good chances for both teams few and far between, all attacks were snuffed out by the defence or the keepers and any efforts on goal were either too weak and straight at the man between the sticks. I think the bobbly pitch hampered the usually slick Thetford Town attack, and Clapton CFC were organised and capitalised on this, spurred on by their excellent home crowd who sung all game, even after they were out of the Vase. In a wonderfully classy touch, the Clapton CFC players shook the hands of the Thetford fans and made a lot of time for the home fans after the game. All-in-all the Thetford fans and players were made to feel incredibly welcome with a lot of great chat and banter, wonderful hospitality from the hosts. Clapton CFC is a fine club, surely onto bigger things, and I hope they are able to go well in the league, I will be looking out for their results. For Thetford Town, I believe the draw for the 3rd Round will be this Monday with the game to be played on the 7th December, fingers crossed for another cracking draw, UP THE TOWN!!!
Line-Ups:
CLAPTON CFC: Jack Francis (C), Junia Charlton, Bailey Pryce, Sam Cook, Adam Sidky, Jeff Twumasi, Fred Taylor, Louis Brown, Julian Austin, Noah Adejokun, James Goldring. SUBS: Noah Salama, Tami Unuefa, Charlie Fagan, James Briggs.
THETFORD TOWN: Ryan Dickerson, Elliot Smith, Jaydyn Lott, Sam Bond (C), Jake Mann, Kieran Money, Cameron King, Callum Olpin, Dylan Grove, George Diggens, Dan Gilchrist. SUBS: Harvey Lott, Marley Reynolds, Malachi Wright, Josh Wells, Adam Laker.
Comments