26th October 2021
Thetford Town vs Mildenhall Town @ Mundford Road - Thetford
Thurlow Nunn Premier League (Step 5)
19:45 KO
£7 entry
Attendance - 144
Half-time score: Thetford Town 0-1 Mildenhall Town
Goals:
Mildenhall Town: Weavers - 5'
Mildenhall Town: Call - 52'
Leigh Simons recorded the goals, see the links below:
Final Score: Thetford Town 0-2 Mildenhall Town
Another day, another local derby involving Mildenhall Town, this time visiting my local club, Thetford Town. The last time I saw these teams play, Thetford were well beaten 5-1, so I was hoping for a better scoreline tonight. Mildenhall are arguably one of the top 3 teams in the league, but have struggled to score the last couple of games, creating plenty of chances but not putting them away. Thetford Town are much improved this season, going on a 7 game unbeaten run, but since then they have drawn 2 and lost 2 so their current form is average at best. I was therefore expecting Mildenhall to edge the game, but I was expecting it to be close. I was also hoping for a bigger crowd than usual, over 150 if possible, and it certainly looked close to that.
Similarly to the last couple of times I have seen Mildenhall, they came out of the traps quickly. Within the first 30 seconds, Call fired in a low dangerous ball through the box that keeper Rodgers managed to get a leg on to deflect it out of the path of the Mildenhall attackers. The fast start continued, and Mildenhall got an early breakthrough in the 5th minute. From the right flank, Chaplin pinged a ball into box, a Mildenhall attacker jumped for it but it looked like it went between his legs and through to Weavers, who was completely open on left side, and he slotted in past Rodgers with his first touch, 1-0 to Mildenhall Town.
Mildenhall had a chance to go 2-0 up within the first 10 minutes, there was a scramble from a Coakley corner, and the ball ended up with Call who chested the ball down and volleyed narrowly over. After the frantic first ten minutes, Thetford grew into the game, and began to carve out chances of their own. In the 11th minute, some space in the centre of the park opened up for Varela, and he fired a stinging 25 yard strike that was well saved by keeper Pope. In the 19th minute, some excellent high pressing from the Thetford attackers paid off, allowing Smith to steal the ball up high. He unleashed Varela, and after some lovely skill, he played Visocanskis through on goal, he tried to curl in past the keeper at far post, but his effort was well saved, that being said it was at the perfect height, a big chance indeed! Thetford continued to dominate possession and territory for the majority of the half, but they were unable to create any noteworthy chances as the Mildenhall defence stood firm.
Mildenhall however, did look dangerous when attacking, and in the 35th minute, Call chased a ball down the right flank, got across into a more central position, and under immense pressure from the Thetford defence, managed to fire a shot at goal, but is was deflected wide. In the 42nd minute, a cross in from Hitch resulted in a Weavers shot over the bar, and in stoppage time, Call chased another long ball, and flashed his shot across goal, narrowly wide, and shortly afterwards it was half-time.
Thetford started the second half brightly, in the 47th minute, some good interplay between Delgado and Vasileiou created some room for Vasileiou to put a decent ball in, but Smith's header did not go in. Despite this, Mildenhall got the second goal they craved in the 52nd minute, courtesy of a lapse in concentration in the Thetford defence. A Rodgers goal kick was uncontested by Thetford, and Walters put a big header in straight down the centre of the park, Call picked up the ball, turned his man and dinked the ball in behind Rodgers, and as quickly and easily as that, it was 2-0 to Mildenhall. It would have come as a big relief to Mildenhall as Thetford were battling hard for an equaliser up until that point.
Having gone 2-0 up, Mildenhall really turned the screw, in the 54th minute, a Hitch corner was curling in at near post, but was punched clear by a fully outstretched Rodgers. In the 56th minute, the ball was in the net again, it looked like Rodgers dropped the ball from a cross and poacher Call fired in his volley, but it disallowed as it is was judged that Rodgers was knocked in the back, resulting in him dropping the ball. In the 61st minute, Call was being a real nuisance again, twisting and turning the Thetford defence, he managed to play in Brown but his shot was wide of the near post. In the 64th minute, Chaplin intercepted the ball, played in Call who fired a low shot on goal, but it was well saved by the feet of Rodgers.
After this 10 minute burst, Thetford were able to take control of the possession and territory again, but Mildenhall were too organised and resolute, and Thetford were unable to find a way through. A good counter-attack from Mildenhall, in the 84th minute, saw substitute Stewart taken out on the edge of the D, he stepped up to take the free-kick, curled his shot on target, but Rodgers made an acrobatic dive to get down and push the ball out for a corner. The remainder of the play happened in the Mildenhall half, and other than a Smith strike at the near post in the 93rd minute, that had to be turned away for a corner, Mildenhall stood strong and bagged the 3 points.
From a Thetford perspective, that was an interesting game. Mildenhall are clearly a good opponent, being one of the top teams in the league, with promotion still looking a possibility, but for large parts of the game, Thetford had the better possession and territory. The fact that Thetford were unable to carve out many chances may be concerning, but the Mildenhall back-line and midfield are very physical, organised and resolute, and most teams have struggled against them as they have not conceding many goals this season. Mildenhall looked very dangerous on the counter, particularly Tanner Call, and they had two 10 minute high-intensity bursts that Thetford were unable to contain, and the two goals came during these periods. All-in-all, Thetford should take heart from their performance tonight, like the Mulbarton Wanderers game, they competed really well, but the better team took their chances. Mildenhall will be pleased with the 3 points, they eased to victory in the 2nd half, and kept another clean sheet. If they start taking more of their chances they will be putting some big scores in this season! I hope to be at Thetford's next home game against Ely City, they are a similar level in the league so will be a big game. UP THE TOWN!!
Line-Ups:
THETFORD TOWN: Macauley Rodgers, Sam Bond (C), Andrew Cusack, Matt Morton, Connor Balment, Elliot Smith, Artur Visocanskis, Jake Mann, Joao Varela, Sonil Vasileiou, Marley Delado. SUBS: Michael Campbell, Johnny Conroy, Adam Laker, Ryan Fuller, Wilson Cruz.
MILDENHALL TOWN: Josh Pope, Charlie Hitch, Darryl Coakley, Luke Butcher (C), Casey Phillips, Alex Steed, Phil Weavers, Tom Walters, Scott Chaplin, Tanner Call, Dan Brown SUBS: Natty Stewart, Ben Nolan, Matthew Green
Comments