Saturday 29 September : Ridgeons League First Division

Walden’s passion and desire returned against top of the table free scoring Thetford Town at Munford Road on Saturday.

Thetford were dealt a blow with their first choice goalkeeper injured and they were forced to draft in teenager Mathew Terry to keep the Walden attack in check. The return of Bloods goalkeeper Dave Pledger from injury settled the Walden Wall into restricting Thetfords top goalscorer Carl Pask to just one shot on goal throughout the match.

Richards was first to test the visitors defence with a shot on the turn that Pledger held.  The pace of defender Barker beat the offside trap but his shot was parried by Terry to Riches whose shot was cleared off the line by a defender. 

Bryant and Holder combined to set up Pask on a one on one with Pledger - but he fired high and wide of the exposed Walden goal.  Catchpole found a way through the Walden Wall but fired into the arms of Pledger.   Badcock should have put the Bloods in front with a lob ,but the back peddling erry was quick to spot the danger.  Minutes later Greg Strong tried a lob from a free kick but that man Tery was on hand to deny Walden the lead.

The agile Terry then twice pulled off finger tip saves to deny Walden’s Vallis a certain goal and in the closing minutes of the first half a Butchart corner kick was headed in to put the visitors in the lead. 0-1(42 minutes.)

Second half got off to a lively start with Thetford looking for the equaliser, a ball from Bloomfeild  through a melee of players found Zdrenka at the far post to tap home the easiest of goals 1-1 (50minutes)

From then on it turned into one way traffic with Walden bringing on their young guns Clarke and Bell into the attack. Bell made an instant impact with his pace beating the Thetford rearguard to volley a shot that just skimmed the crossbar.

Strong and Bell's link up play started to run the home defence ragged and Bell should have put the Bloods in front from close range but his shot flew over the bar.  The game was held up for 10 minutes when Waldens captain Butchart was stretchered off after a tackle from behind that the referee failed to punish the Thetford offender.

New signing Zac Collins on for the injured Walden captain linked up with Vallis and fired in a volley only to see Terry pull off the save off the match. Terry was then on hand twice to deny Bell whose pace beat the defence only to be denied by the home goalie’s impressive form.  Riches came close after some good work by Clarke and Bell to set him clear but Terry was there to gather. 

In the closing minutes Cole outjumped the Walden defence to head goalwards but Pledger tipped over the bar to deny Thetford the spoils. 1-1(90 minutes)  

With 13 shots on target to Thetfords six, Walden will feel disappointed not to have taken the three points but for the performance and agilty of Terry in the Thetford goalmouth.

Team

D.Pledger. M.Barker. G.Strong,  A.Riches, P.Flack. T.Butchart (Z.Collins)

K.Vallis, S.Kingham(S.Bell), B.Riches, D.Badcock(M.Clarke), R.Cannon.

Subs not used M.Clark K.Badcock.