13th April 2024
Hadleigh United vs Thetford Town @ Millfield - Hadleigh
Thurlow Nunn Premier Division (Step 5)
15:00 KO
£8 entry
Attendance - 115
Half-time score: Hadleigh United 1-0 Thetford Town
Goals:
Hadleigh United: Warren - 34', 57'
Final Score: Hadleigh United 2-0 Thetford Town
With the regular 23/24 season nearly over already, this afternoon saw Thetford Town travel to their final away game, going deep into Suffolk to play Hadleigh Town, in a game where a win would see Thetford mathematically guarantee a place in the play-offs. The hosts season has been a mixed bag, which sees them mid-table, seeing them lose at home to Ely City 4-0 two weeks ago but also beating runaway champions Mildenhall Town in the Suffolk Cup back in September. The reverse fixture in late December saw Thetford Town scrape a 3-2 win courtesy of an Elliot Smith double on his return to the club. Whilst a win next week against Heacham would also see Thetford Town secure their play-off spot, as would a Downham Town loss, for sure the Thetford team would want to take the win today to put it beyond all doubt, setting things up nicely for a great game down at Millfield.
It was great seeing Barnes Print programmes on sale at the gate, I think I was able to pick up a programme from every Thetford away league game I attended this year, glad they are alive and well and not online like many clubs higher up the football pyramid.
It was a gloriously sunny spring afternoon, perfect temperature for football with it not being too hot. Into the sunlight Hadleigh United lined up in their home navy blue and white kit, with Thetford Town also in their home claret and blue colours.
KEY MOMENTS
HU = Hadleigh United
TT = Thetford Town
16' - TT - Wright has a dig from 20yrds, it is hit well, keeper Askew drops down to make the save but fumbles, but he is able to re-collect before Avis can pounce onto it.
23' - HU - A cross in from the right by Lloyd Clarke, Tom Warren gets in between keeper Tom Smith and Haylett to get his head on the ball, but his effort skims wide of the far post.
34' - HU - GOAL (1-0) - A long throw from Pearce is allowed to bounce in the box, Tom Warren tries an audacious scissor kick as the ball drops, he connects and manages to keep the ball low, squeezing it through the crowd and into the net, you don't see too many of those go in, wonderful skill!
36' - TT - Gilchrist chests down a long ball and snaps in a volley from 20yrds, it is brilliantly struck but flies just wide of the upright.
43' - TT - King releases Laker down the left, he chests down the ball and cuts it across into the middle of the box to find Wright sprinting in, but he cannot keep his effort down and it flies over.
45'+2' - HU - Pearce steps up to take a free-kick from 25yrds out, he strikes the ball sweetly and it is heading into the top right corner, but Tom Smith makes a spectacular dive, tipping the ball round the post for a corner and clattering into the post, but he looks to be ok.
45'+3' - HU - From the resultant corner, there is pinball in the box but Thetford are able to semi-clear, it falls to captain Ethan Clarke whose 20yrd half-volley is deflected wide by his own player, big let off for Thetford Town just before the break.
57' - HU - GOAL (2-0) - Hadleigh weather an initial Thetford surge and then begin play like they did at the end of the 1st half, and before long they have their second. Pearce whips the ball in from the left, Warren rises highest and nods the ball across Tom Smith to bag his second of the game.
66' - HU - From a Hadleigh corner there is more pinball in the Thetford box, luckily the effort from Dunlop drops straight into the arms of Tom Smith.
81' - TT - Two of the Thetford substitutes link up, Grove sprints with the ball down the left and squares it across to Diggens coming in off the right, the goal is open but keeper Askew shifts across well and sticks out a leg to deflect the effort wide of the far-post, denying Thetford the chance of a late comeback.
A disappointing performance from Thetford Town, with a Tom Warren double seeing them off, the first being a spectacular scissor kick finish. Thetford had a lot of possession and had some good passages of play, but the final decisive passes were not happening, and Hadleigh defended resolutely in the sunshine being good value for their win. It is funny how teams with nothing to play for can seem to have the pressure lifted and play without inhibition, they caused chaos down the Thetford wings, with Thetford vulnerable to balls being whipped in, be it from a set-piece or a cross in open play. This is something that Thetford will need to improve in their confirmed play-off semi-final, with rivals Downham Town losing to Harleston Town. It would have been nice for a win today to celebrate this milestone but it was not to be, but I am still immensely proud of the team regardless, it has been a long tough season. With Thetford still able to finish anywhere between 3rd and 5th, the next game at home against Heacham will be important in deciding where The Brecklanders end up playing on the 27th April, UP THE TOWN!!!
Line-Ups:
HADLEIGH UNITED: James Askew, Lloyd Clarke, Mason Harvey, Ethan Clarke (C), Sam Mills, Josh Hubert, Tom Warren, Liam Pearce, Joel Glover, Ollie Dunlop, Josh Folkes. SUBS: Reuben Chinnery, George Bareham, Kyron Andrews, Liam Scopes, Steve Holder.
THETFORD TOWN: Tom Smith, Ryan Haylett, Josh Wells, Sam Bond (C), Adam Laker, Kieran Money, Malachi Wright, Cameron King, Shaun Avis, Dan Gilchrist, Callum Olpin. SUBS: Ryan Fuller, Harvey Lott, George Diggens, Dylan Grove.
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