23rd December 2023
Thetford Town vs Long Melford @ Mundford Road - Thetford
Thurlow Nunn Premier Division (Step 5)
15:00 KO
£8 entry
Attendance - 135
Half-time Score: Thetford Town 0-0 Long Melford
Final Score: Thetford Town 0-0 Long Melford
Hot off the back of two big confidence building away wins, Thetford Town were back at home hosting bottom of the league Long Melford, who have only secured one point all season. For many, this game was looking a foregone conclusion, but Long Melford are better than the table would suggest having recently beaten Woodbridge Town 4-0 in the Challenge Cup and taking Step 3 Needham Market close in the Suffolk Cup, eventually losing 3-2. If Thetford were to take the opposition lightly, it was looking like potential banana skin territory.
This afternoons Barnes Print programme had Kieran Money on the front cover.
Before the game, I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek at some of Thetford Town's exciting plans for 2024. A 'Plug & Promo' initiative looking to develop and attract more sponsorship into the club with some innovative match day ideas to help the sponsors themselves maximise the advertising impact, one to look out for in the New Year. Such initiatives and fundraising events will be used to help upgrade the club facilities, a new perimeter fence and canopy outside the clubhouse top of the list, with one eye on 4G facilities to support the ever growing club for an ever growing town. It is certainly shaping up to be a year to look forward too for this fine community focused club, more to come on the Thetford Town club website and social media channels in the weeks to come!
Before long, the teams lined up, it was another mild Saturday getting chillier as the sun drew in. Thetford Town were in their claret and blue home strip, with Long Melford lining up in their away grey strip with light blue accents, with a familiar face for the visitors in Santi Davies having recently signed.
KEY MOMENTS
TT = Thetford Town
LM = Long Melford
4' - TT - King cuts in from the right and lashes an effort wide across the face of goal.
17' - LM - Harry Brown receives the ball down the left, capitalises on a stumble from the defender and drives into the box, and from a narrow angle has a pop, the lofted effort evading the reach of Tom Smith but skimming off the bar and out to safety, close!
29' - TT - Thetford pressurise the Long Melford box, and a few probing efforts end in King cutting a ball back into the box from the right, finding Gilchrist whose stinging effort flies straight at keeper Walker, rebounding out to safety.
37' - TT - A snappy attack from Thetford, the ball finds captain King in the centre, just outside the box, and seeing substitute Dylan Kirk open on the right, on for an injured Jake Mann, he feeds the ball out to him. Kirk takes the ball into the box, but Walker is out rapidly to close the angle, and he spreads himself wide to stop the incoming shot, great goalkeeping.
39' - TT - Possible penalty shout, a long ball pumped forwards from club captain Bond, on for injured Jaydyn Lott, releases Dylan Kirk, he is taken out on the edge of the area but the referee in unflinching, not even awarding a free-kick let alone a penalty, an interesting decision to say the least.
50' - TT - Some great interplay between Gilchrist and Grove in the box sets Grove through on goal, but his effort is straight down the throat of keeper Walker, real shame, would have capped off a fine move.
85' - LM - Long Melford get a free-kick and launch the ball into the Thetford box, it falls to captain Jacob Brown who is open on the edge of the box, but his reactionary shot is wide of the post, thankfully for Thetford Town.
93' - TT - Thetford throw everything forward, King threads a perfect ball through for Olpin whose run was timed to perfection, he takes the ball forwards then lashes a ball across the face of goal, but substitute Diggens, under close attention, is unable to connect.
94' - TT - Thetford attack down the right, the ball is hit through to the far-post, Diggens control and has the net at his mercy, but somehow his effort goes wide, presumably deflected by some last ditch defending as the referee points to the corner flag, that was the moment and the chance had gone begging!
Getting in the Christmas spirit early, this is not my best match report, and just as well as there was not a lot to note in what ended up as a 0-0 draw to double Long Melford's points tally. Whilst Thetford had chances, overall Long Melford's game plan was ultimately a success, being well organised, physical and tenacious to stifle Thetford's attacking talents, to partially avenge the heavy home defeat earlier in the season. They also had a couple of good chances to nick the win, but it was not to be. Looking at Thetford Town, they certainly played into Long Melford's hands trying to pass the ball into the net, a few more long range shots would have been nice to see, perhaps stealing a goal off a loose deflection. Other than than, not a lot to say really, another lacklustre home performance it seems the players already had one eye on Christmas, and although they pressed hard at the end it was too little too late. Only positives being the clean sheet, and Downham Town losing 3-0 at home to see Thetford Town climb back into the play-off places, one to forget quickly and move on from. I wish everyone at the club, including the fans, a Merry Christmas, and being unable to make the Walsham game will see you all at the Hadleigh game, UP THE TOWN!!!
Line-Ups:
THETFORD TOWN: Tom Smith, Dylan Grove, Ryan Haylett, Jaydyn Lott, Hugh Cullum, Jake Mann, Kieran Money, Cameron King (C), Callum Olpin, Shaun Avis, Dan Gilchrist. SUBS: Sam Bond, George Diggens, Adam Laker, Dylan Kirk, Macauley Rodgers.
LONG MELFORD: Matt Walker, Ben Judge, Jake Jackson, Josh Collins, Harry Whiting-Noakes, Jacob Brown (C), Will Wingfield, Jibril Akinade, Lewis Brennan, Santi Davies, Harry Brown. SUBS: Jordan Gibbs, Fred Dende, Brosnan Jarrett, Cam Scorer, Greg Birch.
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