Thurlow Nunn Challenge Cup Semi-Final: Hackney Wick 0-0 Thetford Town (Hackney Wick win 4-3 on penalties)
- jsredman1
- 15 minutes ago
- 6 min read
1st April 2025
Hackney Wick vs Thetford Town @ Simarco Stadium - Witham, Essex
Thurlow Nunn Challenge Cup: Semi-Final (Step 6 vs Step 5)
19:45 KO
£6 entry
Attendance - TBA
Half-time score: Hackney Wick 0-0 Thetford Town
Final Score: Hackney Wick 0-0 Thetford Town (Hackney Wick win 4-3 on penalties)
Having reached the Thurlow Challenge Cup Semi-Final way back in January following a 4-0 away win at Kirkley & Pakefield, Thetford Town only found out last week that they would be facing Hackney Wick in tonight's semi-final. Since this victory, a lot has happened, and Thetford Town were stuck in a rut having lost 5-in-a-row and not winning since early February, so this cup game brought a much needed distraction. Thetford Town were drawn to play Hackney Wick away, and despite the name, they unfortunately do not currently play in the London Borough, instead ground-sharing at Witham Town up in Essex whilst they look at options for a ground on their home patch. Whilst Witham is closer for the travelling Thetford Town and their fans, it is still a fair trek on a Tuesday night, the best part of a 1hr 20hr journey, beyond Colchester down the A12, but a road well travelled by myself being a Col U fan.
With Thetford Town in Step 5 and Hackney Wick in Step 6, it initially looked a favourable draw, however, owing to Thetford Town's aforementioned terrible form, being the away team and the hosts riding high in the Thurlow Nunn Division One South, I was not hugely hopeful. Hackney Wick are 2nd in the division, and with a game in-hand on current leaders and fellow cup semi-finalists Harlow Town, they could leapfrog them when they play that game. A goal difference of +50, a recent 4-0 away at Hadleigh United and 4 wins on the bounce shows the undoubted quality of the hosts. However, with Thetford Town's chances of promotion ebbing away, this represented a big chance of some much needed silverware and redemption, so anything could happen.
Once at the ground, it was a shame to hear that there were no printed matchday programmes on offer, however, there was an online one available, and entry was very reasonable at £6. Having missed dinner to make this one I headed over to get a cheeseburger, a very good what I would call standard football cheeseburger, decent for £4.
It had been a warm day, but with the sun setting and a strong wind whipping in the temperature had dropped, I was glad I was in my big coat! Before long, the teams were lining up in front of the singing home fans, Hackney Wick in yellow and black, with Thetford Town in their away mint green kit.
KEY MOMENTS
HW = Hackney Wick
TT = Thetford Town
5' - HW - Mohammed bursts down the left, he pulls the ball back to Sidibe who strikes, but Grove is able to get across fast and put an important block in.
7' - HW - Aker charges down a Thetford clearance, the ball falls kindly for him and he is in, but Dickerson is out quickly to narrow the gap and block the effort.
13' - HW - The ball is played quickly across the edge of the box, out to Mohammed on the left, he hits a stinging strike which swerves wide of the post, lots of early pressure from the hosts.
19' - HW - An off-the-ball incident between Khaniel Brown and Jake Mann sees contact made with the Thetford players head, this is following a crunching challenge from the Hackney Wick player. After much deliberation, only a yellow is given, could easily have been a red, or two yellows, let off for the hosts.
25' - TT - Thetford with their first chance of the game, a well-worked free-kick, Olpin slips Money through down the blind-side, he is in and from a narrow angle he shoots, but keeper Nasim is equal to it.
26' - HW - Silva heads the ball over the top to release Mohammed down the left, he steps across and fires in a strike, but Dickerson is down well to make an impressive save.
30' - HW - A blistering strikes comes in from 20yrds out, it is heading in but Dickerson is able to get his fingertips on the ball to tip it over for a corner. Didn't see who got the effort off, could have been danger man Sidibe.
59' - TT - A swift Thetford attack, a long-ball finds Gilchrist alone on the right on the edge of the box, from a tight angle he hits a fizzing volley which flies just wide of the near-post.
69' - HW - Hackney Wick with a looping volley, Dickerson is just about able to cling onto the ball.
73' - HW - Another poor challenge from Khaniel Brown in the middle of the park, already on a yellow, but he gets away with another one.
75' - TT - Thetford with a golden chance, Money bursts through from a deep position, plays a 1-2 and is bearing down on goal, he shoots across goal and Nasim makes the save, the ball spins up to the open Diggens, the goalmouth is wide open, he elects to hit the ball on the volley, but only gets a partial connection and ball spins away to King, he tries to find space to shoot but is quickly surrounded and the chance is snuffed out.
91' - TT - There is another off-the-ball incident, I did not see what happened, but Jake Mann goes down and needs attention for a few minutes before being taken off, looked to be a head injury/mild concussion.
PENALTIES
TT - GOAL (0-1) - Gilchrist up first, assured start as he sends the keeper the wrong way.
HW - GOAL (1-1) - Lewis-Gold us next, his powerful strike sends Dickerson the wrong way.
TT - GOAL (1-2) - King with a nonchalant penalty, expertly dispatched.
HW - GOAL (2-2) - Substitute Grappy goes for the bottom right, Dickerson dives the right way and gets a hand on it, but the ball squirms into the net.
TT - MISS (2-2) - Olpin up next, he goes for the bottom left corner and the ball smashes into the post and out. Looks like keeper Nasim may have got a touch on it, if so, a fantastic save.
HW - GOAL (3-2) - Loufi piles the pressure on Thetford with a confident strike.
TT - SAVE (3-2) - Money with a clean hit to his right, but it is one of those at the perfect height for the keeper and he dives the correct way to make the save.
HW - MISS (3-2) - Mohammed to win the game for the hosts, blazes over the bar!
TT - GOAL (3-3) - Harvey Lott keeps Thetford in it for at least another kick with a mature finish.
HW - GOAL (4-3) - Anderson with Hackney Wick's second chance to seal the win and he brushes the ball into the net. HACKNEY WICK WIN!!!
Congratulations to Hackney Wick on the win, well earned and I wish them all the best in final. Penalties are always a lottery and this time Thetford Town returned home defeated. Regarding the game itself, Hackney Wick came out the blocks fast and were all over Thetford, and unlucky not to score. Thetford having weathered the early pressure grew steadily into the game and the work rates in the 2nd half went up a notch and there were flashes of the Thetford Town of recent past, with Diggens mis-hit volley the golden chance of the game for the visitors. The Hackney Wick midfielder Khaniel Brown was lucky to have not received a red early on, and he got away with another cardable offence in his feisty tussle with Jake Mann in the middle of the park, which would have undoubtedly changed the course of the game, but it was not to be. With Thetford Town now out of the Challenge Cup, all that is left is the slim possibility of scraping into the play-offs, needing to make up 6 points in 4 games, a loss on the road to 2nd place Downham Town on Saturday could effectively end the season early for the boys in claret and blue, which is a real pity for what has been a season full of so much promise. Nevertheless, this was a fun cup tie, and Hackney Wick were great hosts, and I hope they enjoy their trip up to Norfolk as they contest the Challenge Cup final at Diss Town, I may well head down if available, its not far after all. For Thetford, lets go to Downham Town this weekend and get a result with a strong performance that we know we have in us to restore some pride, UP THE TOWN!!!
Line-Ups:
HACKNEY WICK: Obaid Nasim, Jamie Aker, John Silva, Ben Lewis-Gold, Romaine Barnes-Wallace, Piotr Maslowski (C), Seb Mohammed, Khaniel Brown, Issa Sidibe, Andre Anderson, David Woods. SUBS: Edwin Acheampong, Max Grappy, Adam Cheniti, Clifford Newby-Harris, Kleinti Loufi.
THETFORD TOWN: Ryan Dickerson, Adam Laker, Sam Bond (C), Jaydyn Lott, Dylan Grove, Kieran Money, Jake Mann, Callum Olpin, Cameron King, Dan Gilchrist, George Diggens. SUBS: Harvey Lott, Jordan Buttle, Ronnie Ward.
