7th January 2023
Thetford Town vs Ipswich Wanderers @ Mundford Road - Thetford
Thurlow Nunn Premier Division (Step 5)
15:00 KO
£7 entry
Attendance - 133
Half-time score: Thetford Town 1-0 Ipswich Wanderers
Goals:
Thetford Town: E. Smith - 13'
Ipswich Wanderers: Mills - 67'
Thetford Town: Bond - 73'
Leigh Simons recorded the goals, see the links below:
Final Score: Thetford Town 2-1 Ipswich Wanderers
Thetford Town's first home game of 2023 is a stern test, facing arguably Thetford's biggest league rivals in Ipswich Wanderers, a team much fancied at the start of the season. Ipswich Wanderers current position of 4th place belies their form, having played 2 games less than Thetford, they can get to within 6 points if they win those games, and with a goal difference of +30 they are rivalling Thetford Town's goal scoring prowess who in comparison have a +38 goal difference. With two such free-scoring teams it would have been easy to go into the game expecting a goal-fest, however, experience tells me it will be a more cagey affair, likely decided by a goal, although I was hoping to be proved wrong but with the score falling in favour of Thetford of course, although a draw would not have been a bad result by any stretch.
The excitement in the ground was palpable before kick off, on what was another mild winters day after a blustery start, with a bit of drizzle in the air. Thetford Town came out in their home colours of claret blue, and Ipswich Wanderers were in their away white strip.
KEY MOMENTS
TT = Thetford Town
IW = Ipswich Wanderers
3' - TT - Elliot Smith whips in a pacey ball into the box to find Diggens, whose headed effort is just wide. Shortly afterwards, Machaya receives the ball, pushes it out to Gilchrist on the right wing, he cuts into the box and hits a daisy cutter across the face of the goal, marginally wide of the far post.
13' - TT - GOAL (1-0) - Machaya is taken out off the ball illegally and Thetford are awarded a free-kick. King takes the free-kick, it is looped into the box and met by the head of Elliot Smith, whos effort dips over the keeper and into the net to put Thetford 1-0 up.
16' - TT - King attacks the Wanderers box from the right, using his skill he twists and turns the defenders to make room for a strike, his low driven shot blocked out for a corner.
25' - IW - Cunningham finds himself in a lot of space just outside the box, he fires off a strike that was dipping in just under the bar, but it is turned over by Tom Smith for a corner.
41' - TT - A huge chance for Thetford Town, Thetford attack swiftly, and seeing Machaya running in from the left, King chips the ball over the defender, with the keeper wrong footed by the ball, Machaya just needs to get good contact, but the ball skims off his head and creeps out wide of the post.
45' + 1' - TT - King cuts into the box and lays the ball out to Diggens, his shot across the keeper looked in, but it flew marginally wide of the far post to the relief of the Ipswich Wanderers players.
54' - TT - A free-kick ball is chipped into the open space by King for captain Bond to run onto, he hits a dangerous flat ball across the face goal, there is a goalmouth scramble and in amongst this Elliot Smith goes close for his second, but somehow the ball is kept out and Ipswich break.
60' - TT - Diggens is released down the left by Gilchrist, he is able to play in King, he darts into the corner of the box and cuts across the defender to make space for a strike, his well hit effort batted away by the keeper at the near post and out for a corner.
64' - TT - Machaya chases a long ball down the right wing, he gains control, powers forward and pumps the ball across the goal, King picks it up at the far post, it looks to be a certain goal but somehow the ball goes just wide of the post, so close!
66' - IW - A long distance freekick is pumped into the box, a close range headed effort forces a great reaction save from Tom Smith to push the ball out for a corner.
67' - IW - GOAL (1-1) - The corner is swung in at the near-post and met by the head of substitute Mills, Machaya is on the post and heads the ball, it bounces into the post, back onto Machaya's head and over the line - very unlucky as he done everything right, but I think it has to go down as a Mills headed goal, game on!
68' - TT - Thetford immediately go back on the attack, a deflected ball drops to Machaya in an advanced position, he hits the ball first time, it is heading into the far corner of the goal, but a flying leg from a Wanderers defender knocks it out for a corner.
73' - TT - GOAL (2-1) - Player manager Matt Morton hits a brilliant free-kick up the line to captain Sam Bond, he steps over the ball to wrong foot the Wanderers defence and put Diggens into space, he hits a quick cross into the box, it is headed clear but falls to captain Bond, and running onto the ball he hits a low right footed volley heading into the bottom left corner of the goal, a block is attempted from a defender but it flies into the net to rapturous scenes, and Thetford deservedly take back the lead.
86' - IW - Wanderers push for a second equaliser, again looking dangerous from set-pieces being a physical side. There is a frantic goalmouth scramble, but Thetford are able to clear their lines.
What a fantastic game that was, certainly the best atmosphere at Mundford Road all season, especially when captain Bondy volleyed in the winner and the crowd erupted, there was limbs everywhere, moment of the season so far, in a season of many amazing moments already! Thetford were certainly good for their win, they defended well (big shout out to Fuller having a great game at centre-back again!) and limited the free-scoring Ipswich Wanderers to only a few half-chances, and the attackers created more than enough of good chances to seal the game earlier. Thetford played neat attacking football, whereas Wanderers opted for the physical approach, with lots of long balls forward to the big men, as well as a few naughty off the ball challenges throughout the course of the game, but they weren't subtle with it and went punished. The win maintains Thetford's 11 point advantage, and more importantly gets one over one of the main rivals, and in the process passing one of the biggest tests of the season to date. It was such a competitive game played at a good standard, and I for one cannot wait for the away fixture! It is a big month for Thetford, the big tests coming thick and fast, travelling to Woodbridge Town next week to face another strong and powerful side. I'm away next weekend so again I'm going to have to keep a keen eye on the excellent Twitter feed, but I'm planning on being at Haverhill the week after. Today's victory should be a big confidence booster, and I hope that they can take this form into next weekend, UP THE TOWN!!!
Line-Ups:
THETFORD TOWN: Tom Smith, Ryan Fuller, Matt Morton, Sam Bond (C), Adam Laker, Jake Mann, Cameron King, Elliot Smith, Dan Gilchrist, George Diggens, Emmanuel Machaya. SUBS: Andrew Cusack, Artur Visocanskis, Santi Davies, Nathan Clarke, Macauley Rodgers.
IPSWICH WANDERERS: Craig Brand, Paulo Coelho, Lewis Kincaid, Matthew Paine, Mark Roper (C), Kris Rose, Nathan Read, Daniel Cunningham, Jack Madley, Joshua Folkes, Teon Leggett. SUBS: Kie Dyer, Anton Clarke, Liam Jennings, Darren Mills, Joel Glover.
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