Thurlow Nunn Premier: Thetford Town 2-2 Mulbarton Wanderers
- jsredman1
- Jan 28, 2023
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 29, 2023
28th January 2023
Thetford Town vs Mulbarton Wanderers @ Mundford Road – Thetford
Thurlow Nunn Premier Division (Step 5)
15:00 KO
£7 entry
Attendance – 155
Half-time score: Thetford Town 1-2 Mulbarton Wanderers
Goals:
Mulbarton Wanderers: Lambert - 3' (P)
Thetford Town: Gilchrist - 13'
Mulbarton Wanderers: Pond - 36'
Thetford Town: Mann - 71'
Leigh Simons recorded the goals, see the links below:
Final Score: Thetford Town 2-2 Mulbarton Wanderers
With the mid-week Norfolk Cup game against Blofield United being called off, Thetford Town have had a week to lick their wounds after a bruising encounter against Haverhill Rovers last weekend, which saw a last minute shift onto the astro-turf. Being unprepared for this, the Thetford players undoubtedly did not have the optimal footwear, but despite this they ground out an impressive win having gone down 1-0. Today’s games was back on familiar turf, at home against good opposition in Mulbarton Wanderers. Whilst Mulbarton are not having as good as season as last year, they sit mid-table and are still a dangerous side with a lot of high quality players, so Thetford Town had to be on their A-game to get a result.
Both teams came out in their home strips on this mild winters afternoon, Thetford Town in claret and blue, and Mulbarton Wanderers in blue and black stripes.
KEY MOMENTS
TT = Thetford Town
MW = Mulbarton Wanderers
3' - MW - GOAL (0-1) - Thompson is released down the left, he cuts into the box and is brought down by a mistimed tackle from Fuller for a clear penalty. Lambert steps up to the spot and hammers the ball into the bottom left corner to give Mulbarton an early lead.
13' - TT - GOAL (1-1) - Elliot Smith battles hard in the middle of the field to win the ball, he bursts forward and shuffles the ball out to Gilchrist on the left wing. He takes the ball further still, cuts into the box and shimmies to get enough space beyond the tracking defender Kieran Smith and curls the ball into the far-post, the ball ricocheting into the net, a wonderful effort from the leagues top scorer and a quick reply from Thetford.
21' - TT - Gilchrist picks up the ball in the box, he turns and shoots, but his effort flies over the bar.
24' - MW - Striker Lambert hits one from the edge of the box, but Tom Smith makes a comfortable save.
36' - MW - GOAL (1-2) - Thetford concede a free-kick on the edge of the box, right in the danger area. A well worked free-kick sees Thompson take a long-run from the left, but at the last minute Pond steps up from the right and curls a beautiful left-footed effort into the goal, a fine set-piece and even finer strike to restore Mulbarton's lead.
60' - TT - Elliot Smith rises highest to head the ball from a corner, he does everything right and directs the ball towards the ground, but it is right at keeper Wright and he just about keeps hold of the ball.
70' - MW - From a Mulbarton corner, defender Toby Oliver gets a glancing header at the near post, forcing a good save from Tom Smith.
71' - TT - GOAL (2-2) - Gilchrist threads the ball into Mann just inside the box, he performs a sublime turn to create some much needed space in the box and whips in a shot, Wright gets something on it, but there is too much power on the strike and the ball travels into the goal to bring Thetford level, with time a plenty to go for the win, game on!
72' - TT - A ball over the top sees Diggens through, he travels into the box, and despite being shadowed he gets off a shot, keeper Wright bats it away but it falls straight back to Diggens, but as he lines up for a second strike, his foot is kicked by a defender and he goes down, surely a clear penalty, but the referee and linesman give nothing, a poor decision really.
85' - TT - Gilchrist goes on a brilliant run, jinking and scything his way through the Mulbarton defence and into the box, he shoots and forces a good save from Wright, the ball loops over and falls to Diggens on the edge of the area, but his shot is lashed over the bar.
That was a really competitive game, with both teams cancelling each other out for large periods, and although Thetford would have loved to have bagged the win to stretch out their lead at the top of the table, a draw is nothing to be sniffed at. Mulbarton Wanderers played well, and caused Thetford problems all afternoon, with Thompson, Lambert & Pond a constant threat, and they also looked organised and compact at the back, giving the Thetford attackers little-to-no space. Having come back from a losing position twice, Thetford Town can be pleased with their point, however, Diggens should have been awarded a penalty in the 72nd, and had this had gone in, a win could have been secured. Fortunately, Harleston Town and Hadleigh United also drew, so no real damage done, however, Ipswich Wanderers did bag a win, the game at their ground is shaping up to be a big one indeed! With the point in the bag, and the undefeated home record maintained, next up is Blofield United on Tuesday night, hopefully the weather holds out so the re-organised fixture can go ahead, an away trip to Dereham Town awaiting the winners, UP THE TOWN!!!
Line-Ups:
THETFORD TOWN: Tom Smith, Ryan Fuller, Matt Morton, Sam Bond (C), Adam Laker, Jake Mann, Elliot Smith, Dan Gilchrist, George Diggens, Emmanuel Machaya. SUBS: Andrew Cusack, Artur Visocanskis, Santi Davies, Jordan Lake, Macauley Rodgers.
MULBARTON WANDERERS: Tom Wright, Kieran Smith, Dom Doggett, James Page (C), Toby Oliver, Charlie Mayhew, Hayden Summerfield, Joe Easton, Ben Thompson, Peter Lambert, Josh Pond. SUBS: Harry Gagen, Panashe Mundawarara, Billy Wenn, Amon Kutsirayi, Ian Fancett.
Comments