18th January 2025
Thetford Town vs Long Melford @ Mundford Road - Thetford
Thurlow Nunn Premier Division (Step 5)
15:00 KO
£8 entry
Attendance - 171
Half-time score: Thetford Town 3-0 Long Melford
Goals:
Thetford Town: Olpin - 22', 34'
Thetford Town: Diggens - 41'
Thetford Town: Gilchrist - 82'
Thetford Town: Reynolds - 92'
Final Score: Thetford Town 5-0 Long Melford
This afternoon saw Thetford Town take on a struggling Long Melford team, in a game pitting the league leaders against the team at the foot of the table. Long Melford have had a very difficult season and were 11-points away from safety at the start of the game, which is a real shame as Long Melford are a fantastic club. Thetford Town came into the game off the back of a brilliant 4-0 away win at Kirkley & Pakefield in the Challenge Cup, putting them into the semi-finals!
There has been a nice new addition to the Thetford Town clubhouse linked to the iconic Dad's Army, a display showing Private Pike's iconic claret and blue scarf, I must admit I have never made this connection before!
Today's printed matchday programme had winger Jordan Buttle on the cover, who with a wand of a left-foot has already become a key player in the squad since moving across from Gorleston.
It was a chilly yet calm afternoon, and both teams were welcomed onto the pitch by the expectant crowd, with Thetford Town in claret and blue, and Long Melford in their home black and white stripes. Before the game, a minutes silence was held in honour of Long Melford chairman Geoff Thomas who sadly passed away this week, his influence will be sorely missed by all in the Thurlow Nunn.
KEY MOMENTS
TT = Thetford Town
LM = Long Melford
7' - TT - Buttle down the right, he finds Olpin in the box who tries to beat the keeper at his near-post, his well struck effort fizzing just wide of the top-right corner.
14' - TT - A brilliant ball from King is floated out to the right to find the open Buttle on the edge of the box, he squares the ball into Olpin whose snapped strike spins onto the outside of the post and out, so close to the opener!
16' - LM - Humphreys takes a corner for Long Melford, his high looping ball is picked out by the captain Jacob Brown, but his headed effort flies just over the crossbar.
17' - TT - Cross into the box from Grove, a Long Melford defender attempts to head the ball clear but it is looping into the goal, forcing Jayden Smith to tip it over his crossbar.
21' - TT - Buttle cuts across the edge of the box from the right and whips in a powerful curling strike which forces a spectacular diving save from Jayden Smith!
22' - TT - GOAL (1-0) - Brilliant ball from Diggens picks out Olpin in the box and with the goal at his mercy he calmly strokes the ball into the net to give Thetford Town the lead!
31' - TT - Grove with a long-range effort, it is well hit but the keeper is able to secure the ball.
34' - TT - GOAL (2-0) - Buttle causing chaos down the right again, he drives a low ball across the box, nobody is able to poke the ball towards goal, but Gilchrist is on hand to get the ball under-control and pull it back to Olpin who blasts in for his 2nd goal of the afternoon!
40' - LM - Free-kick in a good position taken by Alanezi, Humphreys is able to get in a strong header but Dickerson is equal to it.
41' - TT - GOAL (3-0) - King finds Laker on the left, he quickly drills the ball into the box and Diggens pokes it into the net, fine poachers goal.
47' - TT - Money with the ball in the box, he lays it back to Grove, the space opens up for him, but he unfortunately blazes wide
50' - TT - Fantastic long ball from Wells splits the Long Melford defenders to find Diggens, he drives into the box and jinks side-to-side to make room for the strike, but his effort is pulled wide.
59' - TT - Buttle on the left drills the ball into Diggens just inside the box, he flicks it on to Gilchrist who drags his shot wide.
66' - LM - Big moment, hospital pass puts Thetford Town substitute keeper Pereira under-pressure shortly after he came on, the Long Melford attacker gets to the ball marginally first and goes down, but the referee indicates to the corner flag for set-piece, phew!
82' - TT - GOAL (4-0) - Jaydyn Lott drives forwards from deep, galloping along the right he evades challenges before squaring the ball into Diggens, from inside the box he hits a stinging shot, it is well-saved but drops to Gilchrist who buries the rebound, strikers instinct!
85' - TT - Substitute Harvey Lott finds his brother Jaydyn Lott inside the box in a rare foray forward, he puts his head down and powers in a low daisy cutter of a strike which skims just wide of the far-post, shame that one didn't go in.
92' - TT - GOAL (5-0) - A Jake Mann corner is swung in towards the penalty spot, substitute Reynolds leaps up and seems to hang in the air, allowing him to direct his header into the inside of the netting, great finish from the young man
Overall a strong and professional performance from Thetford Town, scoring five, keeping a clean sheet and giving all substitutes at least 30mins of game time. From the get go Thetford were knocking on the door, and before long Callum Olpin had bagged a brace to cap an absolutely brilliant first half from him, before coming off early in the 2nd half. Thetford were fluid in attack with everyone putting in a great performance to ensure the home team got past this potential banana skin of a game. Long Melford had some good attacks and spells, but their final ball was lacking all afternoon. I hope they can turn around their form, but escaping relegation looks to be a tall ask as things stand. It was important that Thetford Town were able to rest some key players as next Saturday kick-starts a string of tough away games, Fakenham Town next Saturday followed by Great Yarmouth Town, Dereham Town, Ely City and finishing with Sheringham. This feels like a key run of games, so Thetford Town will need all the players available and huge performances, backed up their loyal travelling fans I'm hopeful we can come out the other end still battling for top spot, UP THE TOWN!!!
Line-Ups:
THETFORD TOWN: Ryan Dickerson, Adam Laker, Jaydyn Lott, Josh Wells, Dylan Grove, Kieran Money, Callum Olpin, Cameron King (C), Jordan Buttle, George Diggens, Dan Gilchrist. SUBS: Jake Mann, Harvey Lott, Marley Reynolds, Malachi Wright, Miguel Pereira.
LONG MELFORD: Jayden Smith, Oli Judge, Valentino Alanezi, Jibril Akinade, Toib Adeyemi, Jake Jackson, Reuben Chinnery, Will Thorp, Ben Humphreys, Jacob Brown (C), Ryan Gibbs. SUBS: Vitor Branca, Will Wingfield, Jordan Gibbs.
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