19th September 2023
Thetford Town vs Walsham-le-Willows @ Mundford Road - Thetford
Thurlow Nunn Premier Division (Step 5)
19:45 KO
£8 entry
Attendance - 168
Half-time score: Thetford Town 2-0 Walsham-le-Willows
Goals:
Thetford Town: Avis - 15'
Thetford Town: King - 30'
Walsham-le-Willows: Dongray - 79'
Leigh Simons recorded the goals, see the links below:
Final Score: Thetford Town 2-1 Walsham-le-Willows
After Thetford Town's impressive start to the season, they have stuttered of late, sacrificing a 3-1 lead against Lakenheath, and being unable to break-down a resilient Sheringham for a 0-0 draw, and could consider this 4 points lost. To add to this, their excellent 12-0 away win against Norwich United has been expunged as last week the hosts announced their withdrawal from the league. With all this considered, a win was vital for Thetford Town to give their campaign a jolt, but todays opponent were not going to roll over easily, with it being a local derby against historically competitive opponents in Walsham-le-Willows. Whilst Walsham have had a slow start to the season, they have strengthened their side and were sure to be a tough nut to crack.
On the way in I picked up a programme of course, I am enjoying them this year as the cover photo is different this time, with Fuller and Diggens on the front.
Having finished work late, I also grabbed one of the meaty cheeseburgers on offer, in the football shaped pretzel bun, certainly a filling one and good value at £5!
It was a blustery evening, with an autumnal feel with the nights drawing in quicker. In the floodlights Thetford Town lined up in their home claret and blue, with Walsham-le-Willows in their away kit, a funky blue/black patterned number.
KEY MOMENTS
TT = Thetford Town
WW = Walsham-le-Willows
12' - TT - King is probing around the edge of the box and finds Gilchrist in space, he fires in a powerful strike and the rebound falls nicely to Avis to tap into the open net, but the linesman waves offside, to rule out the goal.
15' - TT - GOAL (1-0) - King steals the ball off a Walsham defender, takes a touch forwards and slots in Avis, who with his first touch pokes the ball beyond the keeper to send it into the bottom right corner, a much needed early goal for the hosts.
16' - TT - Thetford break shortly after the opener, a deflected ball falls to Money who hits a half-volley towards goal, but it is blocked by King as he made a darting run into the box to pick up any scraps.
24' - TT - From a King corner, Galley rises highest, but his effort flashes just wide of the post.
25' - WW - A cross from McKenzie-Vince is hit towards the edge of box where it is met by a looping header from Hubbard, it was heading in just under the bar, forcing Tom Smith to tip it onto the crossbar, and clear-up the afters, a nervy moment for Town.
26' - TT - Olpin is slotted in by King, he is 1-on-1 with the keeper and tries to round him, he looks to be successful initially but Dunne stays on his feet to shepherd him out, Olpin turns and shoots, but from the tighter angle his effort is wide of the mark.
30' - TT - GOAL (2-0) - Thetford finally get their deserved 2nd of the game, King pings a loose ball up the field for Gilchrist to chase, he cuts back and manages to poke the ball back to King, who on the stride powers in a side-footed strike from the edge of the box, straight into the inside of the side-netting giving the keeper no chance, what an emphatic finish!
35' - WW - Charlie Norman goes on a good run in the middle of the park, he drops his shoulder to make some space, and fires in a 20 yard strike which tests Tom Smith, with a fine diving save off his fingertips to concede a corner.
38' - WW - A cross finds McKenzie-Vince open in the box, with the goal begging he skies his effort, let off for Thetford.
42' - WW - A beautiful deft ball over the top from Chaplin releases Hubbard, whose shot at the near-post is turned out for a corner by a fine one-handed reaction stop from Tom Smith, what a save!
45'+4' - WW - In the dying embers of the 1st half, Walsham nearly bag a goal for all their efforts. A free-kick is awarded in a dangerous position, Charlie Norman steps up and fires in a low strike which clatters into the upright and out, Thetford were lucky to go into the dressing room with a clean sheet!
53' - TT - Much like Charlie Norman's 1st half effort, King tries a low hit free-kick from around 25 yards out, his stinging effort forcing a scrambling save from Dunne.
55' - TT - SIN BIN - Thetford Town go down to 10-men, Olpin is subject to a heavy challenge, of which there were a fair few flying in from Walsham, and in the aftermath he is sent to the stands for 10 minutes for dissent.
58' - WW - With the man advantage, Walsham pepper the Thetford box, the best effort a low skidding ball across the box poked goalbound by Hubbard, but he does not get enough on it and it travels wide.
71' - WW - From a Walsham corner, tall substitute Dongray rises highest, the ball is heading into the bottom right corner, but a wonderful dive and stop by Tom Smith somehow manages to keep the ball out of the net.
74' - WW - It is all Walsham, a poorly hit kick from Tom Smith falls straight down the throat of Chaplin, he takes the ball to the edge of the box, but somehow skews his effort wide!
79' - WW - GOAL (2-1) - Walsham finally break through, a marauding run from the big man Dongray sees him scythe a path down the left-wing, Tom Smith charges out, but Dongray beats him to the ball to direct it into the net, rolling over the line at low speed, game on!
96' - WW - SIN BIN - With Walsham throwing the kitchen sink at the Thetford goal, they have a strong penalty shout, but the referee is having none of it and goalscorer Dongray is sin-binned for dissent in what will be the final moments of the game.
Phew, after Thetford's flying start, they were certainly made to work incredibly hard for all three of those points, and were outplayed for most of the 2nd half, by a dogged and determined Walsham-le-Willows, and they had to cling on with their fingernails by the end. A series of excellent stops by Tom Smith managed to prevent Walsham converting a host of chances, along with some poor finishing from the visitors. In the second half, Walsham were a lot more combative, and Thetford had several breaks that were cut down by some reckless and cynical challenges, and they were lucky to not go down to 10 men in all honesty. This seemed to disrupt the flow of Thetford's game, and the sin-binning of Callum Olpin seemed to take it out of the players as they desperately held on to their lead, with all players running on empty by the final whistle. But, hold on they did to secure an incredibly important 3 points, with some tough fixtures on the horizon, with Dereham Town away next in the league, that should be a cracker. The crowd today has to be mentioned, young fans on both sides adding some great atmosphere to the game in what is always a hotly contested local derby, definitely one of the season highlights. On that effort, I am sure Walsham will climb up the league, but for Thetford Town, a few days to lick their wounds and prepare for a tough but exciting away fixture in the FA Vase against a strong St Neots Town, a game I am certainly looking forward too. Here's to hoping Thetford can see off their Cambridgeshire opponents to go on a bit of a cup run, either way it should be a fun trip, UP THE TOWN!!
Line-Ups:
THETFORD TOWN: Tom Smith, Sam Bond (C), Ryan Haylett, Archie Galley, Adam Laker, Kieran Money, Jake Mann, Cameron King, Dan Gilchrist, Callum Olpin, Shaun Avis. SUBS: Kian Whyte, Konnor Dixon, Malachi Wright, Matt Morton, Macauley Rodgers.
WALSHAM-LE-WILLOWS: Ryan Dunne, Kyran Cooper, Isaac Moss, Ryan Clarke, Reece Lanchester, Sam Nunn, Scott Chaplin, Harvey Hubbard, Ethan Garcia, Charlie Norman, Olly McKenzie-Vince. SUBS: James Blyth, Charlie Glover, Callum Dongray, Charlie Iglesias.
Comentarios