Thetford Town faced their 4th consecutive trip on the road in the league, this time a Wednesday evening trip down to Suffolk to face Long Melford. Long Melford have had a so-so start to the season, suffering a couple of heavy defeats, but beating Norwich United on the weekend. Results suggest the home form in better than the away form, so Thetford were facing yet another big test.

A few of us decided to get down to Long Melford early to go to the famous Melford Valley Tandoori and I'm glad we did, the food was sublime! I went for the Melford Special Masala, would thoroughly recommend.

It was great that the club was offering complimentary programmes on the way in, so of course I picked one up. Not bad for free, can't really argue with that!

It was a beautiful summers evening, also as the sun set a bit of a chill did creep in, but yet again, excellent conditions for some evening footie, although the pitch was a little bobbly. Long Melford were in their home black and white shirts, which meant Thetford Town were in their home claret and blue.

KEY MOMENTS

LM = Long Melford

TT = Thetford Town

3' - LM - GOAL (1-0) - A hospital pass from Fuller at the back puts keeper Gilby in a difficult position as he is charged down by Harry Brown, Gilby gets to the ball first but it is blocked by Brown, and he races through to slot the ball into the open goal, not the start that Thetford would have been hoping for.

7' - TT - GOAL (1-1) - Cullum launches a long ball up the right wing and it is hit perfectly for Haylett to run onto and with his first touch he fires the ball into the box where it is nodded in at the back post from point blank range by Avis. A quick response from Thetford to make amends for the earlier error.

9' - TT - Thetford captain King sees the run of Jake Mann and threads him through, he is 1-on-1 with the keeper and hits a good strike which is sweeping into the bottom left corner, but Walker gets down low to turn the ball around the post for a corner.

10' - TT - GOAL (1-2) - From the subsequent corner, it is taken short, Gilchrist is able to find Money open on the edge of the box, he runs across to a more central position and his pinpoint strike nestles into the bottom left corner of the net, and from conceding an early goal they now find themselves in the lead after only 10 minutes on the clock, what a turnaround and response from the team.

30' - TT - Diggens is played through inside the box, he hits a good strike but it is well stopped by keeper Walker, who was able to get an outstretched limb on the ball.

32' - LM - A long throw in is launched into the box, captain Jacob Brown jumps high to send a looping back-header towards goal, it is heading in just under the bar, forcing keeper Gilby to jump and tip it over for a corner.

33' - TT - A swift break from Thetford releases Gilchrist, he takes the ball forwards at pace and is able to thread King through, he takes the ball into the box and hits a strike at the keepers near side, but Walker is again equal to the effort as he makes another fine save to keep Long Melford in the game.

42' - TT - Thetford Town are awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position, to the right hand side of the goal. The captain, King, steps up and strikes the ball well, it looks to be curling in tight to the near-post, but Walker gets across well to make yet another fine stop, tipping the ball around the post for a corner.

43' - TT - GOAL (1-3) - The corner ball is swung in, nodded down by the leaping Haylett, and swept into the goal on the volley by none other than goal poacher Avis, an important goal before half-time.

45' + 4' - TT - Another quick break for Thetford through Gilchrist, he bounds down the left and lofts the ball into the box to find King, but his makeshift effort on the volley is kept out yet again by Walker.

45' + 5' - TT - GOAL (1-4) - A goal deep into stoppage time for Thetford Town, again coming from a corner. King curls the ball into the danger area, where Haylett gets in front of the defender and hits a firm header beyond the reach of Walker, surely putting the game out-of-reach for Long Melford.

45' + 6' - LM - SIN BINNING - In the aftermath of Thetford's 4th goal, captain Jacob Brown approaches the referee and shortly after receives a yellow card for dissent, putting Long Melford down to 10 men for the first 10 mins of the second half, dashing any hopes of a quick comeback.

51' - TT - Money runs through the centre of the pitch and threads Gilchrist through, his powerful shot across goal is yet again saved by Walker, what a performance from that man!

60' - LM - Thetford's neat passing play breaks down and Harry Brown steals the ball and an excellent pass from him releases substitute Humphreys, he is bearing down on goal, but Gilby is out quickly, and makes a fine stop on the edge of the area, he was clearly taking notes from Walker's performance.

77' - LM - From a Long Melford corner, the ball is not cleared and a shot is fired in towards goal, the keeper is beaten but substitute Laker was in a great position on the line to make an important block.

80' - TT - Winger Grove speeds down the right, he finds Gilchrist in the box who shimmies round a defender and cracks in yet another shot which is again well saved Walker, on another day Dan would have had a hattrick, fair play to the keeper.

89' - TT - GOAL (1-5) - Money finds Avis in the centre of the Long Melford half, he turns and sees Walker off his line and tries an audacious lob from 30 yards, but it is struck sublimely and flies directly into the goal, what a hit, and what a fine way to cap off a hattrick!!

93' - TT - GOAL (1-6) - Olpin sprints forwards and plays a great 1-2 with Gilchrist to un-pick the offside trap, he is completely alone and through on goal, takes a couple of touches to compose himself then fires the ball past the oncoming Walker, and into the net to seal a famous Thetford Town victory.

What a fine performance from Thetford Town, and what a turnaround from what was a bit of a shakey start. The performance was much improved compared to the Soham game, and if it wasn't for the Long Melford keeper, Matt Walker, we could have been looking at 9 or 10 goals. Other than brief moments, Thetford were in complete control all game, and at times it was like a session on the training pitch in the second half. It was also great to see Avis not only get on the scoresheet for this league campaign, but complete a brilliant hattrick sealed with a goal of the season contender, and finish the game as captain when King was substituted. But everyone was on form today and the squad played as a unit, with threats from every angle, be it through the middle with Money, Mann and King, down the wings with Haylett, Grove and Diggens, or from Gilchrist who gets about everywhere, it must be a nightmare to defend against, and I mustn't forget Cullum and Fuller who were controlled and distributed the ball well. I did expect more from Long Melford, and after the early goal I thought Thetford could be in for a tough night, but ultimately they fell off, the 4th goal proving to be the suckerpunch. However, I do hope that Long Melford can turn their season around, as I do enjoy trips there. Next up for Thetford Town is Heacham away, in what will be a tough game against promotion specialists with 7 or 8 on the bounce, however, thus far they are not adjusting as well to life quite as easily to Step 5 as many thought, so could Thetford go there to make it 5 away wins in a row? I'm certainly looking forward to finding out on Saturday, UP THE TOWN!!!

Line-Ups:

LONG MELFORD: Matt Walker, Charlie Coy, Lewis Brennan, Jake Jackson, Deklyn Roy, Josh Collins, Fred Dende, Harry Whiting-Noakes, Jacob Brown (C), Oli Judge, Harry Brown. SUBS: Charlie Holmes, Will Wingfield, Hassan Ally, Greg Birch, Ben Humphreys.

THETFORD TOWN: Isaac Gilby, Ryan Haylett, Hugh Cullum, Ryan Fuller, Dylan Grove, Kieran Money, Jake Mann, Cameron King (C), Shaun Avis, Dan Gilchrist, George Diggens. SUBS: Adam Laker, Callum Olpin, Malachi Wright, Archie Galley.

Thurlow Nunn Premier: Long Melford 1-6 Thetford Town

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