4th November 2023
Thetford Town vs Soham Town Rangers @ Mundford Road - Thetford
Thurlow Nunn Premier Division (Step 5)
15:00 KO
£8 entry
Attendance - 112
Half-time score: Thetford Town 0-1 Soham Town Rangers
Goals:
Soham Town Rangers: Sharman - 17'
Soham Town Rangers: Carden - 53'
Thetford Town: Gilchrist - 90'
Thetford Town: Olpin - 91'
Final Score: Thetford Town 2-2 Soham Town Rangers
Following last weeks dramatic late victory against Ely City, Thetford Town were yet again at home against a team from the Fens, this time facing Soham Town Rangers. In a similar fashion to Ely City, Soham are a team that Thetford Town have already faced in the league this season, and since the last encounter they have also strengthened and are a better side than the league table would suggest. This meant that Thetford Town were yet again in for a big battle to secure the points this afternoon to maintain their position within the play-off places.
On the front cover of this weeks programme was centre-back Hugh Cullum, who was having a strong season on-loan from Step 3 Needham Market.
It was a rainy afternoon, but considering that the country had just been hit by Storm Ciarán over the past couple of days, the pitch looked in great condition. Thetford Town came out in their home and claret and blue, with Soham Town Rangers in an away light blue kit.
KEY MOMENTS
TT = Thetford Town
STR = Soham Town Rangers
13' - TT - Money intercepts the ball and drives forwards 30yrds yards through the centre of the park, he lays the ball off to Gilchrist to his left who charges into the box, cuts back to wrong-foot the defender, and powers in a shot across the goal which is deflected wide for a corner.
17' - STR - GOAL (0-1) - A error at the back sees Thetford lose possession in a dangerous position, the ball is immediately hit low into the box, captain Bond gets in first, but poor control sees fellow captain Sharman gain possession, he then skips past the keeper and strikes the ball home to put the visitors, Soham, into the lead.
21' - TT - Thetford look to equalise quickly, some great work from Haylett down the right sees him cut inside and curl in a strike from 20 yards, it is heading in, but keeper Finley Iron is able to stretch high to secure the ball.
24' - TT - Gilchrist beats the offside trap on the right side, he speeds off with the ball then squares it into the box for Olpin, whose close range effort is somehow stopped by Finley Iron, indeed, some of the Thetford fans were cheering it looked so clear cut, what a stop!
34' - TT - Olpin down the right whips a ball into the danger zone, striker Avis attempts a close range overhead kick, he connects well, but sadly his effort flies just over the bar.
39' - TT - Thetford are awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position, just outside the box on the right-hand side. Olpin steps up a pings in a deadly ball, Soham struggle to deal with it seeing defender Brown almost turning it in, were it not for an important block close to the line.
41' - STR - Chipps picks up a cross-field ball on the left, he cuts into the box and his cross/shot is palmed away by the diving Tom Smith.
45'+ 4' - TT - Keeper Finley Iron comes to the corner of his area to intercept an attacking ball, but it falls to Gilchrist and his snap shot is fired straight at the stricken keeper, missed opportunity.
48' - TT - Some great ball control in the box by Gilchrist, he then shuffles the ball out to his right to the onrushing Davies, whose powerful low driven shot at the near-post forces yet another good save from the Soham keeper.
53' - STR - GOAL (0-2) - Against the run of play, Soham score a big second goal. Yet again, they capitalise on a mistake at the back from Thetford, the ball is stolen and Carden is played through onside, keeper Tom Smith is out quick to close him down, but some neat work sees him round Tom and pass the ball into the open net, brilliant work from the forward, that was certainly not a clear-cut chance!
75' - TT - Thetford struggle to create opportunities as Soham sit on their two-goal cushion. Gilchrist and substitute Diggens link up brilliantly down the right, the ball is played into Olpin, he shoots from inside the area and it looked like it was arrowing into the bottom left corner, but defender Cameron Watson slides across to make an important block on the ball.
90' - TT - GOAL (1-2) - Thetford score what seems to be a late consolation goal. The ball is driven forwards by Gilchrist, and a neat 1-2 with Money puts him through, he takes the ball into the box and neatly finishes with a strike across the keeper.
91' - TT - GOAL (2-2) - Incredible scenes as Thetford score two goals in two minutes! A long is pinged out to Olpin down the left, he plays a 1-2 with substitute Jake Mann, who deft back-heeled touch puts Olpin through, he takes the ball into the box, cuts back then drills it into the bottom left corner, fantastic finish to cap a strong performance from the midfielder, and yet another late turnaround from Thetford!
95' - TT - Thetford batter the Soham goal in search for a very late winner, a long ball into the box finds captain Sam Bond at the far-post, he controls the ball and swings his leg back to blast the ball into the net, but his standing leg slips on the wet pitch, sending his effort just over the bar, so unlucky from the Thetford legend to deny him a memorable moment.
What an odd game, despite being 2-0 down, I don't think Thetford Town were playing too badly, but a combination of some fine keeping from Finely Iron and poor errors at the back saw them fighting an uphill battle. But, this team does not know when it is beaten, and in scenes similar to last week, two late goals saw them salvage what could be an important point from the game. All credit to Soham Town Rangers, they executed their game plan brilliantly and were clinical when their chances came, and were it not for a couple of brilliant 1-2's at the end of the game, would have travelled back with all 3-points. Thetford were missing some key players today, including their star playmaker Cameron King, but Callum Olpin stepped into that role well today, and deservedly scored the equaliser. With two weeks until the next game, three until the next league game, this will hopefully give the players much needed recovery time. The hard-fought point sees them climb to 4th in the league, and maintain their place in the all-important play-off places. Next up is Aylsham in the Norfolk Cup, looking forward to that one, it's never dull at Mundford Road, see you in a fortnight, UP THE TOWN!!!
Line-Ups:
THETFORD TOWN: Tom Smith, Sam Bond (C), Ryan Haylett, Hugh Cullum, Adam Laker, Kieran Money, Malachi Wright, Callum Olpin, Dan Gilchrist, Santi Davies, Shaun Avis. SUBS: George Diggens, Jake Mann, Jaydyn Lott, Harvey Lott, Macauley Rodgers.
SOHAM TOWN RANGERS: Finley Iron, Kai Nicholls, Jordan Chipps, Dominic Brown, Jordan Gent, Cameron Watson, Joe Carden, Lewis Jackaman, Ryan Sharman (C), Robert Cristica, Ed Watson. SUBS: Ryan Auger, Sead Zeneli, Charlie Royle, Jude Iron, Sam Mulready.
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