Anglian Combination D1: Thetford Rovers 4-0 Mundford

7th February 2026

Thetford Rovers vs Mundford @ Euston Park, nr. Thetford

Anglian Combination Division One (Step 8)

14:00 KO

Free entry

Attendance - approx. 40

Half-time score: Thetford Rovers 2-0 Mundford

Goals:

Thetford Rovers: Husak - 37'(P)

Thetford Rovers: Cunningham - 45'+1' (possibly OG)

Thetford Rovers: Husak - 54'

Thetford Rovers: Sillett - 64'

Final Score: Thetford Rovers 4-0 Mundford

The initial plan was to watch Thetford Town take on Great Yarmouth Town at Mundford Road, but the recent inclement weather saw the game called off due to a waterlogged pitch. Many of the grounds in the area fell to a similar fate, but I had high hopes for Thetford Rovers, the gentle incline and sandy soil means that it generally fairs well in wet weather, so I was pleased to see the game was on, so I made the short journey down to Euston Park. It was also a big local derby, two teams close in proximity but having totally opposite seasons, with Thetford Rovers near the summit in 2nd place, but the visitors firmly rooted to the bottom and trailing by quite a bit.

Despite the recent wet weather the game remained largely dry and mild, only some very fine drizzle, if you could even call it that, in the first half. Both sets of players lined up on the pitch, which whilst on the heavy side looked perfectly playable, with Thetford Rovers in red shirts and black shorts, with Mundford in their away all blue kits.

KEY MOMENTS

TR = Thetford Rovers

MU = Mundford

1'- TR - Rovers with a strong attack within the first 30 seconds, Cunningham down the left showing his pace, he crosses the ball to the far-post to find Husak, his shot is blocked and it spins out to Hunter whose effort is deflected wide for a corner.

7' - TR - Goalkeeper Humphrey steps up to take a free-kick 5yrds shy of the half-way line, it is pumped up the left flank to find Candu in space, he crosses the ball in to find Hunter who powers in a shot that looks to have been blocked by the arm of a Mundford defender, but nothing is given.

14' - TR - From a Rovers corner the ball is played about as they look to put an effort in on goal, it eventually drops to Sillett on the right side of the box, he prods in an effort that loops over the Mundford keeper, but it drops onto the crossbar and out.

15' - TR - Another Rovers attack up the left, Candu crosses the ball in and it is clearly blocked by the arm of the Mundford No.2, but yet again nothing is given.

16' - TR - Cunningham and Candu causing havoc down the left yet again, Candu pulls the ball back to Hutt lingering just inside the box, with space he hits a first time side-footed effort that swerves just wide of the upright, so close to the opener!

31' - TR - Another attack down the left, the ball is crossed into the far-post, it then drops down to Hunter in the middle whose volley is saved by the keeper.

37' - TR - PENALTY & GOAL (1-0) - Husak with a penetrating run from the right flank, he drills a low ball across the box, Cunningham's effort is saved but the deflected ball is picked up again by Husak, he nudges the ball beyond the challenger and is taken out, the referee awarding a penalty. Husak steps up and calmly slots the ball into the bottom left corner, no chance for the keeper and a deserving lead for the hosts.

39' - MU - RED CARD - A long ball in launched forwards and catches the Mundford backline napping, Husak is on it like a rocket, and the keeper seeing the danger charges out of his area, Husak attempts to flick the ball over him, a move which would see him through alone on the open goal, but the keeper instinctively leaps up to handle the ball, and in doing so prevents a certain goal scoring chance. After some debate the keeper receives his marching orders, and one of the Mundford outfield players dons the keepers shirt for the rest of the game.

45'+1' - TR - GOAL (2-0) - Husak breaks forwards, he takes the ball right into the box and squares to the supporting Rovers attacker, there is a messy goal mouth scramble and eventually the ball is turned in, Cunningham the last Rovers players touching the ball but the hint of a final touch from the defender, so not sure who gets the goal award, but I'll give the benefit of the doubt to the attacker. This goal puts the hosts 2-0 up just before the break.

54' - TR - GOAL (3-0) - Not long into the 2nd half and Rovers have their inevitable 3rd. A perfectly weighted ball from Hunter slips Husak through in the right-hand side of the box, at pace he takes a touch to set himself then cleanly powers the ball into the roof of the net, leaving the makeshift keeper no chance, a fine move and finish from Rovers.

58' - TR - Cunningham will a ball through the backline, Husak sprinting off the left gets to the ball just before the keeper, but the keeper spreads himself out to save the first effort, the ball then spins out to the onrushing Candu who hits a skimming strike, but the scrambling keeper is able to bat the ball away to make another save, two great efforts from the makeshift keeper!

63' - TR - Hutt with the ball in a central position, he drops the shoulder to evade the challenge than has a pop from 20yrds out, the effort is well struck but whistles just wide of the upright, the keeper rooted to the ground, the ball seemingly taking a deflection on the way through as a corner is awarded.

64' - TR - GOAL (4-0) - From the corner, the ball drops to Sillett on the edge of the box and he rifles the ball in from 16yrds out.

76' - TR - A ball over the top is chested down by Husak and he prods in an effort, but the makeshift keeper is equal to the effort to make another surprisingly good save, fair play.

78' - TR - A corner from Cunningham is whipped into the far-post, Sillett is up highest but glances his headed effort wide of the post.

80' - TR - The ball is stolen deep in the Mundford half, Husak lets rip from 20yrds out, it is dropping into the bottom left corner but the makeshift keeper gets down well to make the stop and collect the ball, great work, certainly helped keep the score down this afternoon.

All-in-all a comfortable win for the hosts, they dominated the play and Mundford barely threatened the Thetford Rovers goal. Mundford were holding on by their fingernails until the first goal, and the red card essentially sealed their fate, a rash error of judgement from the keeper at the end of the first half. The Thetford Rovers midfield and backline unit dominated the game, led by captain Harvey McGeeney, and they were a constant threat down both flanks, the pace of Cunningham, Candu and Husak causing issues for Mundford all afternoon. Whilst 4-0 is a healthy win, it should have been at least 6, the outfield player taking up the goalkeeping role making some fine saves, what a performance from the young man! Whilst it was great to see Thetford Rovers win and push for promotion, it is a real shame to see Mundford struggle so badly, a team battling near the top of the Premier Division and winning the Mummery Cup only a few years ago, I really hope they can recover soon, but L2 is beckoning. For Thetford Rovers, I hope they can keep up the result and make it to the Premier Division, and I hope to be back later in the season to lend them my support.

Line-Ups (will fully update once line-ups are on FA Full-Time):

THETFORD ROVERS: Jamie Humphrey, Grzegorz Ostrowski, Todd Hutcherson, James Sillett, Constantin Candu, Tom McDonald, Harvey McGeeney (C), Harry Hutt, Will Cunningham, Yaroslav Husak, Robbie Hunter. SUBS: TBA.

MUNDFORD: TBA. SUBS: TBA.