Thurlow Nunn Premier: Thetford Town 1-0 Harleston Town

29th July 2025

Thetford Town vs Harleston Town @ The Lomax Spiral Systems Stadium - Thetford

Thurlow Nunn Premier Division (Step 5)

19:45 KO

£8 entry

Attendance - 200

Half-time score: Thetford Town 1-0 Harleston Town

Goal:

Thetford Town: H.Lott - 45'+2'

Final Score: Thetford Town 1-0 Harleston Town

Following Thetford's amazing 3-0 away win on the weekend, a quick turnaround saw them face another team who play in black and white as they took on Harleston Town, for their first home game of the 25/26 season. Last season both games between these teams were tight, with Thetford taking 4-points from the encounters, but since then Harleston had strengthened with some big signings over the summer, so everyone was expecting a close game. Tonight also saw the battle of the Sutton brothers, with Harry Sutton between the sticks for Thetford Town, and Ollie Sutton also in goal for Harleston Town, this must be a phenomenon that does not happen very often! This was still a Thetford Town side in transition, but the new signings and U23's were making a big impact to fill the gaps caused by transfers, injuries and holidays.

Tonight's match programme had Jordan Buttle on the front, who was sadly absent for this game.

It was a mild and cool evening, and the pitch was looking great as ever. Onto the green stuff both teams were soon to line-up, with Thetford Town in claret and blue and Harleston Town in their home black and white stripes with yellow accents.

KEY MOMENTS

TT = Thetford Town

HA = Harleston Town

3' - TT - Ebanks-Blake shows great strength when competing for a long ball to win it, he steps forwards and fires in a cross-goal strike from the edge of the box, but Ollie Sutton is down well to his left to make the stop.

7' - TT - Laker with a strong run down the left, he rides the first challenge before the ball goes loose with the second challenge, but it falls to Ebanks-Blake who snaps in a strike on the bounce, there is pace on the effort but Ollie Sutton makes another good stop.

12' - TT - From a Thetford corner the ball is cleared but only as far as Laker on the edge of the box, he drills in a powerful strike to force Ollie Sutton to make yet another smart save!

44' - TT - Reynolds bursts through the middle and finds Olpin in the box, he takes a touch and is about to fire towards goal before he is taken out by the covering defender, looked a potential penalty yet nothing given.

45'+2' - TT - GOAL (1-0) - Thetford break the deadlock just before the break, Harvey Lott with an arcing run outside the box, he darts in and plays a neat 1-2 with Diggens, and through on goal 1-on-1 he neatly sweeps the ball into the net, well worked goal and superb finish.

45'+5' - HA - Almost an equaliser on the death, corner ball comes off the back of the head of Harleston's captain Joe Manning, and squeaks just over the bar!

46' - TT - Almost an immediate goal after the break, Laker puts Ebanks-Blake in, but the subsequent strike, whilst well struck, was straight down the throat of Ollie Sutton.

48' - TT - Ebanks-Blake with the ball out on the left, he squares it in to Diggens who takes a touch and tries to poke the ball into the bottom right corner, but Ollie Sutton reads it and makes the save.

52' - HA - Some sloppy play at the back from Thetford allows Harleston's Turner to fire in a 20yrd effort, forcing Harry Sutton to tip it over the bar at full-stretch.

54' - TT - Thetford corner, ball falls to Jaydyn Lott just inside the box, his first time strike is well-hit, but straight at Ollie Sutton, either side and would have been a goal the ball flying through the congested box.

59' - TT - A sustained Thetford attack culminates in a strike from Ebanks-Blake from the edge of the box, it is dipping in over Ollie Sutton, but the keeper is able to get a fingertip on it to tip it onto the bar and out for a corner, unlucky for Antwan but a fine save.

62' - HA - Harleston win a free-kick in a dangerous position. Durham steps up and curls in a left-footed strike, it looks to be heading in but Wells stretches out a boot to scoop the ball over the bar and out for a corner.

74' - HA - Gilmore attacks the Thetford box down the left, a burst of pace sees him get in front of the defender and he goes down, seen those given but Thetford get away with it, but they are living dangerously as Harleston press for the equaliser.

78' - HA - Another Harleston Town free-kick in a dangerous position, this time Turner's effort is tipped over the bar by Harry Sutton.

90' - HA - Harleston go close again, a diagonal ball finds Gilmore on the right side of the box, but his strike is blocked by some last ditch defending.

94' - HA - Another Harleston free-kick, the ball is defended but flies out to Bell on the edge of the box, he picks his spot and shoots, but the effort is a whisker wide of the post!

Another huge three points for Thetford Town who now have six-from-six and two clean sheets, does not get much better than that. But boy, were they made to work hard for that, Harleston were on top for the final 25mins, but were unable to break through, the Thetford back-line and keeper Harry Sutton all putting in an immense shift to secure the valuable points, they left everything out there. The first half performance was much better than the first, Ebanks-Blake was a constant threat down the left deserving of a goal and linked up well with Laker, the midfield three of Olpin, Delgado and Reynolds worked well together, feeding in Harvey Lott and Grove down the wings, and Diggens was a constant threat down the middle. The goal was a very slick move between Harvey Lott and Diggens and deserving of the three points. Harleston Town are clearly a good side and look better than last year for sure, securing points at their ground is going to be a tough task. Ollie Sutton, like his brother, made a whole host of saves to prevent Thetford storming into a commanding lead. Thetford Town play again this Saturday, looking to extend their perfect start into the FA Cup as they travel down to Cambridgeshire to face Histon, a high calibre side and a big test for this young and hungry team. With a smaller division, some cup runs would be nice to fill the blank weekends, lets hope Thetford can advance into the next round, UP THE TOWN!!!

Line-Ups:

THETFORD TOWN: Harry Sutton, Josh Wells, Jaydyn Lott, Adam Laker, Dylan Grove, Marley Delgado, Marley Reynolds, Callum Olpin (C), Antwan Ebanks-Blake, Harvey Lott, George Diggens. SUBS: Jeorgy Batch, Calan Carkeek, Jake Mann, Erik Dembicki, Chris Palmer.

HARLESTON TOWN: Ollie Sutton, Charlie Hitch, Alfie Bell, Shane Cox, Oliver Ebbage, Joe Manning (C), Max Willett, Josh Durham, Robbie Turner, Spencer Cawcutt, Archie Gilmore. SUBS: Wilson Cruz, Kyle Bettinson, Brandon Pickess, Panashe Mundawarara, Nathan Page.