Thurlow Nunn Premier: Thetford Town 1-1 Haverhill Rovers

6th April 2026

Thetford Town vs Haverhill Rovers @ The Lomax Spiral Systems Stadium - Thetford

Thurlow Nunn Premier Division (Step 5)

15:00 KO

£8 entry

Attendance - 320

Half-time score: Thetford Town 0-0 Haverhill Rovers

Goals:

Haverhill Rovers: Robson - 50'

Thetford Town: Piggott - 91'

Final Score: Thetford Town 1-1 Haverhill Rovers

With the latest two weekends of results, a lot of teams have dropped points, and somehow Thetford Town still found themselves occupying the final play-off place before kick-off. This now puts promotion firmly back in their hands, but they would need to capitalise on it this sunny afternoon. Opponents are Haverhill Rovers, promoted into the league this season and recruited well, seeing them shooting up the table and into second place having had several games in hand. They are in a rich vein of scoring form and will put the Thetford Town backline to the test, but they played on Saturday against one of the most physical sides in the league in Ipswich Wanderers, whilst Thetford Town have had just over a fortnight off, and with it getting to the end of the season with fatigue setting in, will this favour the rested hosts, or will Haverhill Rovers be spurred on by their win and have better match sharpness? Either way we were about to find out in this huge game at The Lomax Spiral Systems Stadium this afternoon!

Today's matchday programme had Thetford legend Elliot Smith on the front cover, he will surely be missed at the end of the season by all, will be difficult to replace that's for sure.

Blue skies and sun for this afternoon's occasion, but still a slight nip in the air so not quite shorts weather yet. The pitch was looking glorious and onto the well manicured pitch, Thetford Town lined up in claret and blue with Haverhill Rovers in their away navy blue kit.

KEY MOMENTS

TT = Thetford Town

HA = Haverhill Rovers

7' - TT - A long diagonal ball finds Grove on the left, a great touch and burst of pace sees him get in-front of his man, he darts into the box and fires in at the near-post, his well-struck effort is tipped over the bar by goalkeeper Archer for a corner.

12' - TT - Thetford win a free-kick right on the edge of the Haverhill box. King steps up, his effort flies into the wall, but it ricochets backs to him, and on the bounce he fires around the wall, but Archer is in position to collect the effort.

19' - TT - Olpin and King with a neat 1-2, Olpin scoots into the box and powers in a strike, but it flies just over the bar.

40' - HA - Haverhill attack down the left through Newman, he squares the ball into the danger area, it evades everyone and just needs a faint touch to direct it in, but nobody manages to make contact.

45' - HA - A Rovers corner drops to Robinson, he hits the ball on the bounce but drags his effort wide of the target.

50' - HA - GOAL (0-1) - Not long after the break and the visitors bag the opener, a corner ball whipped in towards the near-post, and captain Robson leaps up to flick his headed effort into the net.

52' - TT - Some phenomenal interplay between Grove and King in the left corner, they tie the defenders up in knots, with King eventually getting into the box, a jinking run before letting rip with his left-boot, but the effort is too close to Archer and he is able to bat the ball away.

68' - TT - King with a deft ball over the back-line, Grove sprints onto it and is through on-goal, he tries to hook the ball over Archer as it bounces, but the keeper is out too fast and makes himself large to block the effort.

73' - TT - A corner swung in by King, captain Elliot Smith on the end of it, his diving header flashes across the mouth of the goal, I though it was creeping in but rolled a few millimeters wide, so unlucky!

75' - TT - King linking up with Grove again, the latter with the ball in the box, he drills in a low strike, but Archer on-hand again to make the stop.

83' - TT - From a Thetford corner the ball drops to Billy Batch on the edge of the box and on the half-volley he fires in, clean hit but the ball is deflected wide for another corner.

84' - TT - From the resultant corner two quick-fire chances for the hosts, Elliot Smith with a shot blocked off the line, then Wells with the follow-up header, great control to guide it just under the bar but Archer leaps up to tip it over for another set-piece.

85' - HA - Haverhill with the break down the left, Thulborn looks in but somehow his effort is kept out, big moment!

91' - TT - GOAL (1-1) - A deserved equaliser, club captain Sam Bond with a neat ball forward, Olpin latches onto it, drives into the box and shuffles the ball out to his left, substitute Harvey Lott with a cross-goal effort, it is rolling slowly in but fellow substitute makes sure a Haverhill boot cannot hook it out as he blasts the ball into the onion bag to make sure of the equaliser, great scenes!

My feelings are torn on that one, delighted we secured the point in stoppage time, we certainly did not deserve to lose that one, but also left wondering that on-balance we should have probably beaten the team 2nd in the table, out-playing them for large stretches and creating the more numerous chances throughout, the 1st half performance in particular was superb. But again, it is that soft underbelly causing us problem, another goal conceded from a corner, when the threat looked to be the trio of Stoker, Thulborn and Robson on the counter. Thetford actually kept those three pretty quiet throughout, a great defensive performance all-round. It was also great to see two of our younger players linking up for the goal in Harvey Lott and Theo Piggott, I believe this may be his first senior goal for the club? Either way, great moment for the young man, hopefully many more to come, and given MotM by the Thetford Ultra's. Unfortunately, thoughts need to turn to the table, and with Ely City, Great Yarmouth Town and Fakenham Town all winning, it does now look like 2 wins in a row are needed. Next up is Thetford Town's last home game of the season as they host a mid-table Kirkley & Pakefield, who took Great Yarmouth all the way today, but if Thetford Town bring their best, and with the faithful fans behind the team, hopefully 3 huge points for the boys in claret & blue to take things to the final day of the season, UP THE TOWN!!!

Line-Ups:

THETFORD TOWN: Elliot Pride, Adam Laker, Elliot Smith (C), Josh Wells, Billy Batch, Jeorgy Batch, Cameron King, Callum Olpin, Dylan Grove, Antwan Ebanks-Blake, George Diggens. SUBS: Sam Bond, Jake Mann, Harvey Lott, Theo Piggott, Daniel Rayner.

HAVERHILL ROVERS: Alex Archer, Kai Nicholls, Tom Newman, Oliver Reynolds, Tom Williams, Joe Robinson, Kyle Markwell, Louis Henman-Mason, Tom Stoker, Tom Thulborn, Jarid Robson (C). SUBS: Theo Carter, Alfie Pinyoun, Ryan Taylor, Ryan Twinn.