Thetford Rovers 2 – 1 Loddon Utd Sat 8th March 2025 2.15pm ko
Scorers: Jimmy
Assists: El Capitano
Loddon: Dan Loades; Tom Sergeant, Bailey Hill, Jack Tipple, Josh Knights;
Jimmy Blake, Elliott Hannant (c); JJ Godfrey; George Pomfret, Matt Ayre,
Harvey Johnson.
Subs: Cameron Hodge, Liam Kent
Manager: Jake Sharpe Asst: El, Max Lino: Jack Cook

This is always a tricky fixture for us. Suspensions, injurys and unavailability (Ressies even had to call up some Vets!) made it doubly difficult.
Thanks to Jack Cook for making the long journey to run the line for us, so that our young subs didn’t have the stress. Much appreciated by all.
We kicked up the hill for the first half which was pretty even. George started well on the right and managed to deliver a couple of crosses which we could not latch on to. We wasted a free kick which cleared everyone and Rovers won a corner which Knightsy defended well at the far post. Rovers’ counter attacked down their left but Dan covered the low 30 yard shot easily. Dan held another shot above his head again from distance. We survived a goalmouth scramble but saw the flag raised anyway. JJ and Harv conjured a move and cross for Max on the edge of the box but he was unable to get a shot away.
On 20 minutes, George did well to regain possession and win a free kick. El Capitano stepped up with a peach of a kick to the far post which we all thought had been too high and long but Jimmy’s clever movement enabled him to get a free header which found the bottom corner to put us ahead. 0 – 1
A short spell in possession ended when Rovers pinched the ball back but great work by JJ showed Rovers he was no pushover. A Rovers forward thankfully stumbled when attacking a far post cross before a shot went comfortably wide of Dan’s goal. Jimmy hit a through ball to Harv but just too long, Knightsy crossed to Max who couldn’t stretch far enough but then had to be back defending to head away another home free kick. The game swung from end to end. A 30 yarder was straight at Dan and bounced off him but he recovered and spread himself well to stop the follow up effort. Another chance fell to Rovers after a clever backheel, but luckily for us they fired over. Harv won a free kick on our left, El took it and just missed the far top corner. Rovers had a long shot way off target and we ended the half holding our slender lead. HT
JJ started well with the press but Jimmy’s ball over the top was too long for Harv as it ran away down the hill. El covered the next counter attack. Dan made a great early save and Max twice defended the corner. JJ was at the centre of most of our play covering a lot of ground. Jimmy won a corner from which Max couldn’t guide his header goalwards. Rovers looked a threat every time they got over the halfway line and looked like they knew the uphill paths. Serg survived handball appeals to concede only a corner, which Tipps then dealt with. Knightsy fell over after a challenge but the Ref waved play on with Knightsy appealling. Bailey headed away a curling cross but the ball was knocked back in and a controlled shot found the net on 50 minutes. 1 – 1
I guess we saw it had been coming. Rovers controlled their attacks up the hill and we hit our forward balls too long down the hill. Serg had been struggling with an injury sustained the previous week so was replaced by Liam to deal with a quick experienced left winger. Liam, George and JJ all fought well on our right against tough opponents with help from ‘Jimmy the Enforcer’, but it was Rovers who dominated. A free header allowed from a home corner missed the bar by inches and Bailey cleared the next threat. Harv put Tipps under pressure with a stray pass but Tipps put his head in where angels fear to tread and cleared! We did manage the odd corner but nothing threatened the home goal. A home cross saw Dan make another save from a decent shot and Liam cleared. Rovers fired another shot which looked in but the ball had hit the side netting and a goalkick awarded although we think Dan got a finger to it. Cameron came on for George down the right. JJ played a beautifully weighted through ball but Cameron snatched and sliced wide. Bailey recovered well after being ‘charged’ off the ball. A throw and then corner followed and another free header went inches over Dan’s bar….we were hanging on by a thread. Liam held up the centre forward, Tipps cleared and Liam cleared a shot. JJ found Cam but Max’s return pass didn’t find it’s target and Rovers broke again. And after El’s intervention JJ made a great tackle. Dan made another save after Liam deflected a clearance goalwards.
On 78 minutes Bailey cut out a Rovers forward ball but it ran away from him, and was played forward again. Dan made a good initial save but couldn’t hang onto the ball as the follow up was buried. 2 – 1
Tipps launched a long throw and followed up with a shot to the keeper. Dan came for a through ball and was unceremoniously clattered by a home forward who got away with just a yellow card. Dan recovered thankfully and Sharpey sent George back on for Liam, and El and Knightsy swapped position in an attempt to improve our forward threat. But it wasn’t to be. We saw a bit more of the ball but couldn’t keep it. Tipps tried a few long throws one of which ended with an overhead shot from Max. A noble effort from the big man but it was way over the bar. In the 4 minutes added, Dan went forward for a free kick which the home keeper claimed, luckily a home forward handled as Rovers broke away and found the net with Dan missing. A yellow card was shown for their protests and a walk to the ‘sin bin’ followed. All over…we hadn’t looked like we could buy a goal in that second half…
..Plenty of effort, but not much in the way of constructive football…apart from
JJ who worked hard all game, was involved in most of the good stuff we did and deserves to be Supporters’ Musker MoM
Thanks again lino Jack….

Saturday 15th March…..Wells-next-the-Sea-next-the-Jub;
Looking forward to saying hello to a couple of visiting LUFC Legends…JC