Second attempt at this fixture, last weeks game being called off due to a frozen pitch. Since then, things have warmed up a bit, with milder weather in the day. Thetford Town went into this game clear favourites, top of Thurlow Nunn Premier, scoring freely and two divisions above Blofield United, an amateur team plying their trade in the Anglian Combination Premier League. Thetford had be wary however, and could not take the opposition lightly, with Long Stratton having defeated Norwich United last week! I watch the Anglian Combination every now and then, and can testify that the quality, particularly in the Premier League, is high indeed. This all set things up nicely for an exciting cup tie.

Thetford Town came out in their home colours of claret and blue, and Blofield United in their away green strip, in a clear, cold but dry winters evening.

KEY MOMENTS

TT = Thetford Town

BU = Blofield United

1' - TT - Bond crosses the ball into the box from the right, Cusack makes a run in from the left wing and connects with the ball, his effort flying across the face of the goal, narrowly wide.

5' - TT - GOAL (1-0) - Cusack takes a quick corner to Gilchrist, he whips it in towards the penalty spot Elliot Smith competes with the keeper but the ball is punched out where it falls to Lake on the edge of the area, who smashes the ball into the bottom left corner of the goal to give Thetford the lead.

7' - BU - A Crosby free-kick is curled in beautifully towards the front of the advancing pack, Crabb has a close range effort that is saved at the near post by Rodgers, the ball then falls to Bonkas who has a stab, but his effort is blocked by a defender.

13' - BU - Blofield almost go close to equalising again, from a throw-in, the ball is thrown into the edge of the area, it bounces and striker Crabb turns and snap volleys the ball, his effort millimeters wide of the far post - very close!

19' - TT - Lake feed Gilchrist, he jinks through two defenders and fires in a strike from the corner of the box, but his effort flies over the bar.

29' - TT - GOAL (2-0) - Visocanskis attacks down the left, he twists the defender, gets into the box and tries to curl the ball into the top right corner, keeper Clarke gets a hand to the ball, but it drops to Diggens who unselfishly squares the ball to the onrushing Lake who drills another low strike into the goal to put Thetford 2-up.

32' - TT - A ball from Elliot Smith over the top releases Gilchrist, his low strike across the goal is well stopped by Clarke and out for a corner.

33' - BU - A long ball puts Crabb through on goal, Rodgers comes out to meet the ball and there is a contact, the ball pops out to captain Fryers, he has the goal gaping in front of him, but somehow a Thetford defender gets back to clear the ball of the line - the Thetford defence living dangerously indeed!

35' - TT - From a corner, the ball falls to Balment who blasts in a strike from point blank range, it is heading towards the top right corner, but somehow Clarke leaps to get a hand on the ball to turn it onto the cross bar and out for a corner. An astonishing save, even the Thetford fans were applauding that effort!

44' - TT - GOAL (3-0) - Elliot Smith launches a ball over the top for captain Bond to run onto, the ball bounces, keeper Clarke comes out to meet it, but Bond gets there first and a deft touch sees him lift the ball over the keeper and falling into the bottom left corner of the goal, a wonderful touch and a 2nd recent goal for Bondy, fantastic stuff!

53' - TT - GOAL (4-0) - Lake completes his hattrick, an attack down the right wing sees the ball squared to Elliot Smith, he lays it back to Lake, who from the edge of the area strokes the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal, another fine finish from the midfielder to cap a great hattrick and a fine performance.

55' - BU - Cogman ties the Thetford defence up in knots on the right edge of the box and curls in a fine effort, flying just wide of the top right corner of the goal.

56' - TT - GOAL (5-0) - Down the left, Elliot Smith squares the ball to Gilchrist, he rounds a defender, runs into the box, and before he is squeezed by another two onrushing defenders he rolls the ball into the bottom right corner to put Thetford out-of-sight.

57' - TT - Diggens goes on a marauding run down the right flank, he cuts into the box and powers in a shot at the near post which forces a good save from Clarke.

60' - TT - GOAL (6-0) - Thetford are awarded a free-kick on the edge of the D, Diggens steps up and curls the ball round the wall and into the the right hand side of the goal, leaving keeper Clarke grounded, a brilliantly taken free-kick!

66' - BU - From a corner, the ball is not dealt with and a close range shot comes in, which is blocked by a Thetford defender.

72' - BU - GOAL (6-1) - Blofield finally get the goal they deserve, a two-man attack down the right wing sees Finlay Rowan cross the ball in from his first touch, the fall is just beyond keeper Rodgers and it flies to captain Fryers at the far-post who taps in, a worthy consolation goal.

81' - BU - Crosby attempts an audacious 25 yard effort, but he goes close, the ball flying narrowly over the bar.

86' - TT - GOAL (7-1) - During a Blofield attack, substitute Laker intercepts the ball, he sees Diggens open on the right wing and pings the ball up to him. Diggens takes the ball into the box evading the attention of several defenders, but he cannot find space for a shot. He pauses, rolls the ball backwards, and this wrong foots the defender, allowing him to the space to stroke the ball into net for his second goal, a brilliant piece of work from the striker.

88' - TT - A long ball releases Machaya, he cannot quite burst through so squares the ball to Diggens, his shot is parried out by Clarke, just behind Machaya who carried on his run, 1 yard difference it would have been a simple tap-in.

91' - BU - Substitute Chowdury intercepts the ball from a deep position, he tries his luck from 20 yards out, his effort grazing the top of the crossbar.

An emphatic win for Thetford Town sees them cruise into the Quarter Finals of the Norfolk Senior Cup, an enticing away trip to Dereham Town the reward, a game that will be a test of whether Thetford Town can compete against Step 4 competition. That being said, Blofield United certainly had their chances today, and should really have netted at least 3. Despite being 2 leagues lower than Thetford Town, and an amateur team, they fought all game and attacked until the bitter end, the Thetford Town players respectfully clapping them off after the final whistle as a mark of respect. This should not be a surprise, there are some great teams and players in the Anglian Combination Premier League, the aforementioned Long Stratton win testament to this. A special shout out has to go to hattrick hero Jordan Lake, three accurate clinical strikes to put the game to bed early, a classy hattrick indeed! Thetford have a well earned break this weekend, where I will be taking the opportunity to watch Col U at home against Barrow, in what is a much changed team from when I last saw them early Jan! Next up for Thetford Town is a tasty midweek league game at home against local rivals Mildenhall Town, a team that always seem to get the better of us, with two heavy defeats already notched up this season. I hope the Thetford team trains well this week and can get one back against The Hall, it is long overdue, UP THE TOWN!!!

Line-Ups:

THETFORD TOWN: Macauley Rodgers, Connor Balment, Matt Morton, Sam Bond (C), Andrew Cusack, Jordan Lake, Santi Davies, Elliot Smith, Dan Gilchrist, George Diggens, Artur Visocanskis. SUBS: Adam Laker, Emmanuel Machaya, Cameron King, Jake Mann, Tom Smith.

BLOFIELD UNITED: Robbie Clarke, Finlay Rowan, Alain Medina, Harry Shaw, Andrius Bonkas, Jason Armes, Ashley Cogman, Daniel Crosby, Robert Fryers (C), Thomas Crabb, Tinashe Madzimure. SUBS: Luke Barker, Daniel Coote, Oyon Chowdury.

Norfolk Senior Cup - 3rd Round: Thetford Town 7-1 Blofield United

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