Thurlow Nunn Premier: Thetford Town 2-2 Walsham-le-Willows

11th October 2025

Thetford Town vs Walsham-le-Willows @ The Lomax Spiral Systems Stadium - Thetford

Thurlow Nunn Premier Division (Step 5)

15:00 KO

£8 entry

Attendance - 340

Half-time score: Thetford Town 0-0 Walsham-le-Willows

Goals:

Thetford Town: H. Lott - 48'

Thetford Town: Laker - 61'

Walsham-le-Willows: OG - 76'

Walsham-le-Willows: Hubbard - 94'

Final Score: Thetford Town 2-2 Walsham-le-Willows

With two tough away games for Thetford Town this past week, they would be pleased to be back at home today. The league game last weekend saw them impressively come-back from being 2-0 down at half-time against Haverhill Rovers to not only draw the game, but score a winner that was disallowed with only 10-men on the field. In this game, Thetford Town Matt Morton manager also received a red card to join Marley Reynolds, and this situation got worse on Tuesday night when a tight game away at Fakenham Town in the Norfolk Senior Cup saw Thetford Town receive two further red cards in the latter quarter of the game, with both George Diggens and Jordan Buttle getting their marching orders as The Brecklanders exited the competition. As I missed both games I cannot comment on whether any of these red cards were justified, but I was hoping for no more this afternoon as it was already going to be a fierce game against local rivals Walsham-le-Willows, who look to be a decent side again this season despite losing Ethan Garcia to Felixstowe & Walton United in the summer, the team who also signed our own Dan Gilchrist.

Today's printed match day programme had star striker George Diggens on the front cover.

It was a mild and grey autumnal afternoon, and in front of a big crowd ready for this local derby Thetford Town lined-up in claret & blue with Walsham-le-Willows in their away blue and black kit.

KEY MOMENTS

TT = Thetford Town

WLW = Walsham-le-Willows

5' - TT -King bursts forwards and drills in an effort from the edge of the box, it is heading into the bottom left corner but Dunne gets down well to make the stop.

10' - TT - Thetford are awarded a free-kick on the edge of the Walsham box. King steps up and hits a clever effort round the wall, it is heading in but a diving save from Dunne denies him.

30' - TT - Olpin with an early high ball launched forwards, the ball bounces kindly for Diggens and from the edge of the box he volleys the ball, but the effort is straight at Dunne for the save.

37' - TT - Olpin with a pinpoint cross curled into the far-post, Wells steams in and his bullet header at the near-side forces Dunne to make yet another fine save to deny the hosts.

42' - TT - King slides the ball out to Buttle on the right-hand side of the box, he jinks through and powers in a right-footed effort from a tight angle, but it blazes over the bar.

43' - TT - King with a 30yrd effort, it is dropping into the bottom-left corner but Dunne gets down to make the stop.

48' - TT - GOAL (1-0) - Early in the second half Thetford finally get the deserved opener, Olpin with a run forwards from the centre circle, he fends off the incoming challenges and manages to spray out a neat ball to Harvey Lott on the left and despite being under-pressure from the defender he rifles the ball into the net beyond Dunne, great finish!

50' - WLW - Walsham with their best chance of the game shortly after the opener, ball crossed from the right finds Twinn in the middle, but he powers his header wide of the upright!

61' - TT - GOAL (2-0) - Thetford with a swift attack, they try to find Laker skipping in off the left, they can't quite find him but he immediately steals the ball back in the box, he then evades multiple challenge as he jinks about until he gets sight of the goal, hitting the ball into the bottom right corner, great work from the left-back!

69' - TT - Buttle shows some brilliant skill to break through two challenges in the middle, this sees him to the edge of the box where he decides to shoot, the effort is struck well and heading into the bottom-left corner, but Dunne dives and gets a palm to the ball to tip it round the post for a corner, go close to a decisive 3rd goal!

71' - TT - A free-kick is awarded near the corner area on the byline after a cynical foul. The set-piece is lofted to the far-post, Jaydyn Lott rises highest but his header slams into the crossbar and out, to the relief of the visitors.

76' - WLW - GOAL (2-1) - Walsham pull one back against the run of play, a deep free-kick in pumped into the box, it is knocked back in and loops up off a Thetford leg, over and behind Sutton and into the net, suddenly that lead does not look as healthy.

84' - TT - A Walsham player slips and King pounces on the loose ball, he strides forwards and shoots from the edge of the box, but the effort is too close to Dunne for a relatively comfortable save.

90' - TT - Wells with a long ball pumped forwards, Harvey Lott is the only player to react and this sees him through on goal, 1-on-1 with Dunne, the keeper holds his ground as Harvey shoots and makes yet another save to deny Thetford yet again.

94' - WLW - GOAL (2-2) - Heartbreak for Thetford Town as they lose their lead at the death, balls are relentlessly pumped forwards, and one is it to the edge of the, Sutton makes the call to come out and meet it, there is a tangle between him, a defender and an attacker, the ball then drops to substitute Hubbard who sweeps the ball into the empty net.

Football can be a cruel game, I thought Thetford Town were fantastic this afternoon and crafted significantly more chances than the visitors, more than enough to win 3-points, but they failed to put these away and defensive errors allowed Walsham-le-Willows to steal a point. It was a brilliant response from Thetford following a tough midweek loss, and there is so much to build on from this game, even despite the imminent loss of Diggens and Buttle to suspension. With Haylett back from injury and Elliot Smith back in the team following his return to the UK, it is effectively the same as two huge new marquee signings, and they will be needed more than ever in this difficult October. For Walsham-le-Willows their best player was their keeper Ryan Dunne, he made a host of saves to keep Thetford out, but he sullied things a bit after the full-time whistle getting involved in a scuffle followed by squirting water at some Thetford fans when exiting through the tunnel, not sure what triggered this after such a good performance but not a good look. I was also impressed by Reon Huckvale, despite being shackled most of the game he looks a dangerous player for sure. Next up for Thetford Town is round three of the Fakenham Town trilogy, hoping Thetford do better than the last one, and now with the game on Friday night lets get a big crowd down to support the lads for this huge FA Vase game, UP THE TOWN!!!!

Line-Ups:

THETFORD TOWN: Harry Sutton, Adam Laker, Dylan Grove, Josh Wells, Jaydyn Lott, Jeorgy Batch, Callum Olpin, Cameron King (C), Jordan Buttle, Harvey Lott, George Diggens. SUBS: Sam Bond, Antwan Ebanks-Blake, Jake Mann, Ryan Haylett, Elliot Smith.

WALSHAM-LE-WILLOWS: Ryan Dunne, Kyran Cooper, Ollie McKenzie-Vince, Ryan Clarke (C), Matt Collins, Zac Gayfer, Scott Chaplin, Matt Glover, Reon Huckvale, George Bugg, Kieran Twinn. SUBS: Cameron Nicholls, Harvey Hubbard, Isaac Moss, Ethan Deeks.