28th September 2024
Kirkley & Pakefield vs Thetford Town @ Walmer Road - Pakefield
Thurlow Nunn Premier Division (Step 5)
15:00 KO
£8 entry
Attendance - 82
Half-time score: Kirkley & Pakefield 0-1 Thetford Town
Goals:
Thetford Town: Smith - 21'
Thetford Town: King - 47'
Kirkley & Pakefield: Pollock - 64'
Thetford Town: King - 77'
Thetford Town: Grove - 85', 96'
Final Score: Kirkley & Pakefield 1-5 Thetford Town
Following Thetford Town's impressive 3-0 mid-week win away at Lakenheath in the Challenge Cup, the boys in claret & blue faced another away fixture, this time in the league and all the way down on the Suffolk Coast, and whilst it may not necessarily be the longest trip, it feels the most awkward. Hosts Kirkley & Pakefield were sitting mid-table prior to kick-off, and with Thetford Town in the play-off zone, and having secured a 2-0 win in this fixture last season, all eyes were on them to win 3-points and keep the pressure up at the top.
On the way into the ground I picked one of the excellent full colour programmes for £2, with some great photography in the centrefold.
After a wet week, both teams were greeted with a pleasant sunny afternoon, if a bit of the chilly side, Autumn is definitely on the way. The grass was quite long, especially when compared to Thetford, and onto this lush green pitch hosts Kirkley & Pakefield lined up blue and white, with Thetford Town in their away mint green.
KEY MOMENTS
KP = Kirkley & Pakefield
TT = Thetford Town
7' - TT - Harvey Lott is played through, a neat step over sees the space open up for him, but his cross goal strike is dragged wide.
11' - TT - A diagonal ball finds Grove down the right, he puts on the afterburners and a great touch sees him bypass the defender, he strides into the box curls in a strike towards the top left corner, but it is just over, would have been a wonder goal had it have gone in!
19' - KP - Kirkley win a free-kick in a dangerous position. Hutchinson curls the balls into the near-post, Cameron Russell gets in front of the defender, but his effort is turned wide of the post.
21' - TT - GOAL (0-1) - Excellent cross into the box from Grove down the right, Elliot Smith playing a defensive role, charges into the box from a deep run, he leaps high and with no-one challenging he is able to steer his bullet header beyond the flailing Blowers, BOSH!!
40' - TT - Probing run from Grove off the right again, he plays an unconventional 1-2 with Jake Mann, Jake back-heeling the ball back to him, Grove then finds substitute King in the middle, whose powered effort flies narrowly over the bar.
47' - TT - GOAL (0-2) - King receives the ball on the right-hand edge of the box, he creates some space with a neat side-step then absolutely lashes the ball into the roof of the net, Blowers had no chance, unstoppable hit from the Thetford talisman!
56' - TT - A perfect diagonal ball from Gilchrist finds King down the right, he twists and turns the defender before driving into the box and unleashing a stinging strike at the near-post, forcing Blowers to make a fine save.
61' - KP - In-swinging corner causes chaos in the Thetford box, shot comes in at the far-post, Dickerson makes the stop and somehow manages to scramble to the deflected ball before the Kirkley attacker.
63' - KP - Main goal-threat Cameron Russell is through in goal, just as he shoots Elliot Smith throws his body across to block the strike, superhuman effort from the Thetford powerhouse.
64' - KP - GOAL (1-2) - Kirkley & Pakefield pull one back, and it was coming. Pollock goes through the middle of the Thetford defence, riding several challenges, before getting through on goal and slotting the ball into the bottom left corner, game on!
77' - TT - GOAL (1-3) - Speculative high ball pumped forwards, Blowers misjudges the flight of the ball and comes charging out to collect, 30yrds from his goal-line, King competes to win the ball, it breaks loose and King strides forwards and with all the time and space in the world, he side-foots the ball in from 20yrds, a real gift from Kirkley to ease the building pressure on Thetford.
85' - TT - GOAL (1-4) - Dylan Grove surely seals the win, Thetford break through a long ball to Gilchrist on the left, he drives towards the byline, holds the ball up to wait for the runners, then squares back to Grove who slots the ball in, clinical!
91' - KP - Pollock steals the ball deep in Thetford territory, and through on goal he fires in a stinging effort, but Dickerson does well to not only make the save with his leg, but to also prevent the rebound.
96' - TT - GOAL (1-5) - In the dying moments Thetford break quickly, King squares the ball to Grove in the middle of the box, he chips the ball up to himself to wrong foot the defender, then guides his volleys into the bottom left corner, what skill and what a finish from that man, what a way to seal a big away win!
What a fantastic away win for Thetford Town, but this is definitely one of those cases of the scoreline not doing the game justice. It was a tight contest for large parts of the game, and with the scoreline at 2-1 Kirkley were on top and building up to an equaliser until Blowers gift gave Thetford the 3rd goal, and from that point Thetford sat back and hit the hosts on the break, with Dylan Grove scoring two late goals. It has to be said that his goals were well-deserved, Dylan was blistering all game, his probing runs were a constant threat, he set-up the first goal and took his goals well, the 2nd one displaying crazy ball control and clinical finishing. Substitute Cameron King was also brilliant, looking fresh from his break, also chipping in with two goals and an assist, his first goal hit so hard it almost burst through the net. Whilst not the best overall performance from Thetford Town, they still managed to win 5-1 away from home, against a competitive and physical side on a bobbly pitch, not a bad afternoon's work! Next up Thetford Town face a short away trip on Tuesday night against Walsham-le-Willows, one of the early contenders, and with Thetford winning the last game 4-1, the hosts were sure to be looking for revenge, can't wait for it, UP THE TOWN!!!
Line-Ups:
KIRKLEY & PAKEFIELD: Alex Blowers, Daniel Munro, Kieran Wing, Jack Hutchinson, Kieren Underdown, Harry Creamer (C), Nathan Russell, Henry Pollock, Connor Swan, Cameron Russell, Macaulay Holt. SUBS: Ben George, Bailey Phipps, Jack Lawrence, Jerrell Barbor, Jordan Haverson.
THETFORD TOWN: Ryan Dickerson, Josh Wells, Elliot Smith, Adam Laker, Sam Bond (C), Kieran Money, Jake Mann, Harvey Lott, George Diggens, Dylan Grove, Dan Gilchrist. SUBS: Callum Olpin, Cameron King, Malachi Wright, Marley Reynolds, Miguel Pereira.
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