28th February 2023
Thetford Town vs Sheringham @ Mundford Road - Thetford
Thurlow Nunn Premier Division (Step 5)
19:45 KO
£7 entry
Attendance - 97
Half-time score: Thetford Town 1-0 Sheringham
Goals:
Thetford Town: Laker - 39'
Sheringham: Cary - 79'
Sheringham: Lane - 84'
Leigh Simons recorded the goals, see the links below:
Final Score: Thetford Town 1-2 Sheringham
As we are moving into the business end of the season, the games are coming thick and fast, with Sheringham the visitors to Mundford Road this evening, which is a fair old trek for a mid-week game! Sheringham were one of only three teams to have beaten Thetford Town in the league this season, so it was going to be a difficult evening for sure. Although Sheringham sat mid-table, looking at results they had only lost to the odd goal and been involved in a few draws of late against some top of the table opposition, so perhaps the table was not a true reflection on the team.
It was a chilly evening, with a persistent drizzle throughout much of the first half, greeting Thetford Town in claret and blue, and Sheringham in their away white shirt.
KEY MOMENTS
TT = Thetford Town
SH = Sheringham
6' - SH - A defensive header is flicked backwards, but Jamie Smith is onto the ball quickly, he beats keeper Tom Smith to it and tries to dink it past him, but Tom Smith manages to bat the ball down from close range to prevent a surefire goal.
14' - SH - Money bursts forward and has a crack from 20 yards, forcing a save from Tom Smith, the loose ball being cleared on the follow-up.
24' - TT - Thetford get a free-kick in a dangerous position, and Diggens steps up and tries to replicate his goal against Walsham-le-Willows on the weekend. He drives the ball low and hard, it bobbles up and catches out keeper Howes, the fumble is nearly tapped in by the onrushing captain Elliot Smith, but with the keeper closing the angle the effort is wide of the mark.
28' - SH - A snap shot from the edge of the area from Cary curls just wide.
31' - TT - Elliott Smith steals the ball in the middle and feeds Diggens down the right flank, he takes the ball into the box and his well struck strike is heading for the top left corner, but a good save from Howes denies him.
38' - SH - Jamie Smith latches onto a poor back pass from Fuller, keeper Tom Smith is out quickly to close the angle, and he does just enough as the effort trickles wide of the far post.
39' - TT - GOAL (1-0) - A wonder goal from nowhere from Adam Laker, he picks up the ball deep in Thetford's half and goes on the run through the middle of the park, rounding two backtracking players before cracking a beauty of a left-footed strike which loops into the left hand side of the goal, leaving the keeper rooted to the floor, well deserved from that man!
56' - SH - During a sustained Sheringham attack, the ball falls to the imposing Jamie Nelson on the edge of the box, he takes a touch to open up the space and fires in a stinging shot which is narrowly wide of the goal.
57' - TT - SIN BIN - Captain Elliot Smith is sin-binned for dissent following an objection relating to the direction of a throw-in, missing the next 10mins of the game.
66' - TT - During a sweeping Thetford attack, Mann in support picks up the ball and chips it to the right flank for the onrushing Laker, he takes a touch to lose his man then hits a clean half-volley into the outside of the side netting, close.
73' - SH - Money runs down the right flank, cuts in and takes a pot shot from afar, the effort flying millimeters over the bar and dipping down into the top of the net.
78' - TT - Olpin, King and Gilchrist link up during a counter-attack, King lays the ball off to Gilchrist in the area, but his strike is just wide.
79' - SH - GOAL (1-1) - Under pressure, Tom Smith hits a weak pass which is intercepted by Wilson-Towns, he squares the ball to Cary, who takes the ball close to Tom Smith then slides it past him to put Sheringham back into the game.
84' - SH - GOAL (1-2) - Sheringham are awarded a free-kick in a dangerous area. The ball is blasted into the wall, but Lane picks up the lose ball, takes a touch into the area and blasts across the keeper to complete the turnaround for Sheringham, leaving Thetford stunned with that suckerpunch.
What a late comeback from Sheringham to snatch all of the points away from Thetford Town, but it has to be said that Sheringham were good for their win and were the better side throughout the game. They were without a doubt the best team I've seen Thetford play in the league this season, they were organised, physical, combative and stiffled the Thetford attack for most of the game, how they are only mid-table baffles me. Thetford Town did look a bit off off this evening, but I am not sure how much of that was down to Sheringham playing so well, they certainly are proving to be a bogey team having taken all 6 points in the two ties. Despite the loss, the goal from Adam Laker was fantastic, a certain goal of the season contender (although there have been a few pearlers!), and he performed well all game, a nice half-volleyed effort in the 2nd half going close. Thetford certainly tried hard to get a second all 2nd half, but it wasn't to be, and they were ultimately punished in the final 10minutes of the game, for their first home defeat of the season. Fair play to the Sheringham fans for travelling down on a Tuesday night, and big congratulations to them for the win, I'm sure it made the journey back a lot nicer. For Thetford Town, now is not the time to dwell on this too much, learn the lessons from tonight, take them into future games, and don't get downbeat on this, winning a league is never going to be easy, the real test is how you bounce back from a loss. Next up is Whitton United away, time to refocus and get a win, I know the team will be itching to make up for tonight, and although I will not be there, I will be willing them on from afar, UP THE TOWN!!!
Line-Ups:
THETFORD TOWN: Tom Smith, Ryan Fuller, Matt Morton, Adam Laker, Andrew Cusack, Elliot Smith (C), Jake Mann, Cameron King, Callum Olpin, Dan Gilchrist, George Diggens. SUBS: Sam Bond, Jordan Lake, Emmanuel Machaya, Santi Davies, John Taylor.
SHERINGHAM: George Howes, Riley Wilson-Towns, Jamie Nelson, Shane Cox (C), Archie Galley, Kieran Money, Liam Cork, George Abbott, Tim Cary, Owen Lane, Jamie Smith. SUBS: Austin Kilbey, Lewis Cude.
Comments