Thurlow Nunn Premier: Thetford Town 0-1 Soham Town Rangers

12th April 2025

Thetford Town vs Soham Town Rangers @ Mundford Road - Thetford

Thurlow Nunn Premier Division (Step 5)

15:00 KO

£8 entry

Attendance - 196

Half-time score: Thetford Town 0-1 Soham Town Rangers

Goal:

Soham Town Rangers: Ward - 15'

Final Score: Thetford Town 0-1 Soham Town Rangers

With Mulbarton Wanderers winning midweek it was now a mathematical impossibility that Thetford Town would make play-offs, although it was over long ago in reality. This means that Thetford Town's final three games had little riding on them, other than to sort out where they were to end up in the final table. Visitors Soham Town Rangers were in the same boat, so I was hoping for a good end-to-end game with both teams playing without pressure and more importantly, for Thetford Town to end their on-going goal drought.

On the way into the ground I picked up a programme, this time with midfielder Jake Mann on the front cover, unavailable for selection this week owing to the concussion picked-up at Hackney Wick.

I also had the appetite for one of Mama D's fantastic cheeseburgers, thick and juicy patty and served in a football shaped pretzel bun, top notch football scran.

It was a perfect spring day and the pitch was looking wonderful. Out into the sun, Thetford Town lined up in claret and blue, with the visitors Soham Town Rangers in their home green and white kits.

KEY MOMENTS

TT = Thetford Town

STR = Soham Town Rangers

13' - TT - Nice link up play between Elliot Smith and Grove down the right, Grove squares the ball into the box, Gilchrist swivels and shoots but his effort is directed over the bar.

15' - STR - GOAL (0-1) - A straight ball over the top from Newman, Ward runs between the two defenders, gets on the end of the ball and is in, Dickerson is out fast but Ward deftly lofts the ball over him and it nestles into the net for a great finish, an early lead for the visitors.

18' - TT - A corner is swung in by King, the ball falls to Jaydyn Lott, he powers in a strike at the near-post which is blocked off the line, Gilchrist receives the ball on the follow-up and shoots from just inside the box, but his effort is again blocked.

19' - STR - A low cross into the near-post from the right, Brame is unable to connect cleanly, a half-cleared ball is then latched onto by O'Neill but he fires wide of the goal.

22' - TT - Buttle strides forwards and plays a neat 1-2 with Gilchrist, he is through on goal, this looks to be the moment that Thetford Town will get back on the scoreboard, but his effort is straight at the onrushing Finley Iron and the chance goes begging, so frustrating.

35' - TT - Buttle with the ball on the right, he cuts across the edge of the box and shoots towards the bottom left of the goal, but Iron is down well to make the stop.

37' - TT - Grove with a deep run down the right, he squares the ball back to Elliot Smith whose shot is straight down the throat of Iron.

44' - TT - A quick fire move from Thetford, Money with a direct ball into King, he flicks the ball in to Gilchrist open on the left, but from 6-yards out he blazes over the bar, Thetford almost trying too hard to hit the net.

45'+2' - TT - Grove drills the ball into the box, on the bounce from the right, Diggens with a great connection picking the ball out of the air, but it whistles just wide.

55' - TT - King with a ball in from the right, Elliot Smith rises highest, his looping headed effort is sneaking in, but Iron tips it over for a corner.

58' - TT - King works hard to make the space to shoot from the edge of the box, the effort is well-struck and Iron is beaten, but it is scooped off the line by Gent, the ball looping out for a corner.

69' - TT - Thetford Town captain Sam Bond down the right, his cross/shot dips over Iron and looks to be heading in, but it crashes into the corner of the metalwork and out, so close to an iconic Bondy goal!

77' - STR - Substitute Tofts with a direct ball to release Ward, Dickerson is out fast again, this time Ward shoots low at the near-post, but Dickerson has the space closed down fast to make a strong save.

81' - STR - Tofts down the left, he squares the ball across the box, Ward is open on the far-side for a tap in, but somehow skies his effort, incredible miss.

83' - STR - From a Soham corner the ball drops to Dunn on the left, he volleys in a stinging effort, but Bondy is on-hand to make the block and clear the ball.

84' - STR - Another big chance from a corner for the visitors, Gent tries to hook the ball in with his back to goal from close range, but Dickerson is equal to the effort.

86' - TT - Ball crossed in from the right, Elliot Smith nods the ball down into the danger area, Diggens is on the end of it but the effort is yet again straight at the keeper.

A much better performance from Thetford Town this afternoon, but despite carving out a host of great chances, they were unable to hit the back of the net, the team seemingly unable to buy a goal at the moment. This takes their goalless run to 7 games, which is hard to believe in a season that saw Thetford regularly hitting teams for 5 or more. With this goal drought continuing it almost feels like the team are trying too hard or are too desperate to score, the efforts going straight at the keeper or miles over. I feel that once we break this duck the goals will start flowing again, the performances and work-rates are certainly on the up. Looking at Soham Town Rangers, they looked a decent side, tenacious play with good centre-backs, excellent keeper and some sharp attackers, they are building up nicely to have a more competitive season in 25/26 for sure. For Thetford Town, only two more games to play over the coming Bank Holiday weekend, will be gutted when it's over, whilst a frustrating end to the season there is still no better way to spend a Saturday afternoon, and this is still a club on the up, the in-progress 3G pitch the latest addition to our excellent set-up, UP THE TOWN!!!

Line-Ups:

THETFORD TOWN: Ryan Dickerson, Sam Bond (C), Jaydyn Lott, Josh Wells, Elliot Smith, Kieran Money, Cameron King, Dylan Grove, Jordan Buttle, Dan Gilchrist, George Diggens. SUBS: Callum Olpin, Adam Laker, Harvey Lott, Marley Reynolds.

SOHAM TOWN RANGERS: Finley Iron, Marcus Cole, James Dunn, Ryan Auger (C), Jordan Gent, Harry Harvey, Lewis Jackaman, Seth O'Neill, Jack Brame, Oliver Ward, Mason Newman. SUBS: Ryan Sharman, Ben Tofts, Sam Spencer, Jordan Atkin, Hayden Lambert.