Impetus’ Darrell Allen provides his weekly round-up of all the women’s football action in Norfolk (8/11/22).
Above: The game at College Meadow between Beccles Town and Thetford Town was played in atrocious conditions. Kamile Omeleviciute (left) on the ball for Thetford. Photo: Hardy Scott Photos.
Main Match of the Week
Beccles Town 1-5 Thetford Town
Thetford Town continued their fine form with a convincing win at Beccles Town in the Norfolk Women and Girls League Division One. A brace each from Kamile Omeleviciute and Chelsea Page plus a goal from Rachel Lynch saw Thetford Town go second in the table.
The game at College Meadow, the only Division One fixture and one of very few involving Norfolk teams to survive the inclement weather was held due to applaudable proactiveness from Beccles by switching from their usual grass pitch to their 3G facility across the road. Thetford Town should also be applauded for accommodating a later kick-off at 3.30pm.
It was Beccles who started brightest on the narrower-than-normal 3G surface and they should have had a penalty early on only for referee Ryan Starkey to wave loud appeals away to the relief of Thetford Town.
Despite that decision, both teams appreciated and enjoyed having Starkey in the middle for this tier seven fixture. Starkey himself is used to refereeing in tier three so this was seen as a privilege for both clubs to be in his presence for this fixture. Starkey is an excellent communicator and offered great insight and explanations to both teams and the watching supporters as well and offered praise to both teams for their superb attitude to the afternoon.
It didn’t take long for Thetford to get into their stride and Rachel Lynch was first to force a save out of Gemma Hamilton in the Beccles goal.
Lynch, the ever reliable Town centre back was an attacking threat all afternoon and was heavily involved in the opening goal as Lynch and Chelsea Page linked up well to find Kamile Omeleviciute who blasted home to give Thetford the lead.
From here, it was never again a contest. Thetford manager David Skipp had the luxury of having his three most potent attackers available to him for this fixture with Hannah Rogers, Rebecca White, and Chelsea Page all playing significant parts in this game.
As the rain lashed down and the wind got stronger, both teams were looking forward to a break from the elements at halftime and Chelsea Page made life easier for Thetford with a superb chip over Hamilton to double the visitors’ lead before the break.
Conditions eased for the second half and Thetford continued in the same bright attacking light. It took Omeleviciute all of six minutes after the re-start to double her tally and in the process increase Thetford’s lead to three.
The visitors had the game won but were hungry for more as Skipp changed the team’s formation to 4-3-3 allowing Rogers, White, and Page all to go for goals in the remainder of the game.
Thetford peppered the Beccles goal as Rogers missed an easy header which would have further increased the lead.
When Thetford did finally make it four, it was down to Lynch to provide the afternoon’s most memorable moment when she finished a free kick from 35 or more yards out with pinpoint accuracy into the top corner.
Thetford were disappointed to lose their clean sheet late on when Megan Sergeant scored for Beccles, but Page had time to get her second goal and make it a five-star victory for Thetford.
This was a stunning win for David Skipp and his team to continue their fine run of confidence and momentum. Second in the league with 10 points from a possible 15 is proof of the hard work going into this season from everyone on and off the pitch at Thetford Town.
With back-to-back home fixtures against Bungay Town and Caister up next, the hope will be this fine run can continue.
Teams: BECCLES TOWN: Hamilton, Wilson, Collins, Tiffin, Rose, Heaney, Bell, Sergeant, Barber-King, Robbens, Storey. Subs: Bower, Bowen, Nicholson.
Scorer: Sargeant.
THETFORD TOWN: Askins, Bambury, Davies, Howard, Klimcke, Levy-Twomey, Lynch, Musgrove, Omeleviciute, Rogers, White. Subs: Corbyn, Page, Parker.
Scorers: Omeleviciute (2), Page (2), Lynch.
Referee: Ryan Starkey.
Attendance: 50.
Norfolk Wrap:
Eastern Region Premier Division
Wroxham suffered a heavy defeat losing 9-0 to newly promoted AFC Sudbury. Alex Penny scored four goals, Kate Edwards got a hat-trick with the remaining goals coming from Evie Creaton and Tyeonae Smith.
Norfolk Women and Girls League Division Two:
Thorpe St. Andrew were the days’ headline writers with a stunning 4-0 victory over Freethorpe. Abi Simmons scored a brace with Rebecca Sutton and Poppy Le-Beau also getting on the scoresheet to make it a memorable day for Tony Allen and his team.
In the day’s other game, Bulldogs recorded a fine 1-0 home win over Horsford thanks to a goal from Lauren Roberts.
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