Sat 26th September 2020
Heacham vs Thetford Rovers

The two teams took the field on what can only be described as a typical Norfolk autumn day. With heavy down pours forecast and strong gusting winds of 40 miles per hour plus. The pitch was in perfect condition for playing football on with a small crowd braving the elements.

Heacham opted to play into the gusting wind for the first half. Early on both teams where trying to play football on the floor getting their passing game going, Heacham finding the flight and travel of the ball a little tricky to start with, after five minutes Heacham found themselves with a good break on with the ball falling to Alex Clunan who took his shot well but was neatly saved by the goalkeeper. Heacham then enjoyed a good passage of play managing to break up Thetford’s attack and broke quickly, with Nathan Davies setting off down the wing and crossing for John Flanagan who couldn’t quite get his shot off. Ten minutes into the game and Thetford found themselves with their first real chance to muster an attack, with a good through ball which was just over played and found its way through to the keeper.This passage of play largely carried on for the remainder of the half with Heacham struggling a little with the wind but spending most of the half in Thetford's half of the pitch. Thetford did on two occasions find themselves in the Heacham area where Sam Pishorn made two very good stops at the feet of the Thetford attacker. Thetford then resorted to some shooting from long range and crosses which again where expertly handled by Pishorn and using the conditions to pass out from the back. Jack Defty saw a header from a corner narrowly go over the cross bar and Jahy Chima and Flanagan started to combine well down the left to create some problems at the back for Thetford. The first half finished in the Thetford half and the teams left the field to a torrential downpour and a gale blowing through.

Heacham kicked off the second half and immediately found the conditions easier playing with the wind, and as a result most of the second half was played in the Thetford half with the visitors struggling to clear their lines up field, which highlighted how well Pishorn and the back four distributed the ball in the first half. Heacham where now in full flight passing the ball in midfield with George Rawlings getting some good tackles in and setting the forwards on their way. Heacham were dominating the play and two minutes into the second half were awarded a free kick on the left, Clunan whipped the ball in with a vicious curl that appeared to beat everyone including the goalkeeper and nestled in the far corner. After consulting with the linesman the goal was disallowed for what seemed to be offside. Heacham then stepped up a gear stirred by the disallowed goal. Three minutes later Flanagan cut in from the left to unleash an unstoppable shot to put Heacham one up. The game continued with Heacham encamped in the Thetford half. Ten minutes into the second half and some great passing down the right saw G.Rawlings thread his way into the box only to be bought down for a penalty. Davies stepped up and buried it straight into the bottom left corner to make it 2.0. The play was then becoming very much one sided with the Thetford goalkeeper unable to clear the ball out of their half. Adam Reeve then came on as a sub and made an instant impact making direct runs at the defence. This was rewarded 25 minutes into the second half when he ran at the defence and let fly with a ferocious left foot shot which the goalkeeper didn’t move for and Heacham were 3.0 up. This passage of play continued with Heacham pressing Thetford back in their own half. With Flanagan, Davies and Reeve running at the defence. With time running out Heacham again pressed forward, with Reeve finding himself on the left with the ball and floated a (Cross) shot into the box which sails over the keepers head and into the net to make it 4.0 to the home side. Then in the final few minutes man of the match G.Rawlings broke up play well again in midfield and slotted a great ball to Flanagan who again unleashed a shot that bursts into the goal without the goalkeeper moving to make it 5.0. A good solid performance by the Magpies, with the defence playing superb in very tricky conditions, Strong midfield and a devastating attack.