Late Clarke double secures Thetford Town all three points against Ely City in the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division
Two late goals from centre-back Nathan Clarke gave Thetford a vital three points against Ely City at Mundford Road on Saturday, writes Simon Staines.
Town had trailed to a 55th-minute Sam Reed goal but Clarke struck with five minutes remaining and again in the first minute of stoppage time to secure a dramatic win.
Clarke rejoined the Mundford Road side in January – having left the club at the end of last season to move to Newmarket Town – and after the game expressed his delight to be back.
“I wasn’t enjoying myself or my football at the time when I rejoined but I am now happy here as I have a lot of mates at the club who I have known for a long time, a great team off the pitch running the club and especially with the recent wins we have had,” Clarke said.
Town deserved more than a single point from their previous two games against Histon and Newmarket but here managed to grind out three points with their weakest performance of the last trio of games as Clarke admitted.
“To be honest we were poor today, especially in the final third. We didn’t create alot of chances and that nearly cost us. The three points are vital as we wanted to give ourselves a bit of breathing space from the relegation zone," he added.
Town had the best of the first period, moving the ball neatly at times but their attacking play was uninspiring with too many wild shots from distance troubling the vehicles in the adjacent car park rather than the Ely goal.
The second half carried on in much the same way until Ely broke the deadlock from a corner which was whipped in viciously from the right by Jamie Alsopp and after Tom William’s effort was blocked, Reed tapped in from close range.
It took a smart save by Will Viner from Chris Lewis’ fierce effort to keep Thetford in the game but the home side still struggled to create clear cut chances, with the visitors dealing well with the threat of the division’s top goalscorer Valter Rocha.
However, as the game approached its conclusion Thetford turned a potential loss into a win. Rocha’s in-swinging corner was met by Clarke’s head to draw Town level before Clarke found himself in the right place to fire home at the back post after Elliot Smith’s header was blocked on the line.
The victory has left 15th-placed Thetford seven points above the relegation zone while Ely (17th) are just a point off danger.
* Tonight Thetford Town will take on lower-league Mattishall in the semi-final of the Norfolk Senior Cup at the FDC, with the winner advancing through to a Carrow Road final. Follow @HannahDolman1 for updates on Twitter (KO 7.30pm).
Meanwhile, Ely City are set to host Stowmarket Town in the Premier Division – follow @liamapicella for updates (7.45pm).
