The Robins give The Brecklanders a helping hand in taking all 3 point

Ely came into the game after two successive away wins while Thetford after a good start had narrowly lost both of their last two games.
Ely City manager Brady Stone was forced into one change from the Hadleigh starting line up with Liam Griffin not being available so central defender Ollie Brookes came back into the side with Ash Walter moving back into his preferred postilion of central midfield. The Robins had a full bench to choose from with Alex Theobald returning from injury and both Under 18 players Joe Brannan andLewis Hook back in contention.
The Robins started positively and a Craig Neal shot early end tested the Thetford keeper. Ely seemed sharper and quicker to the ball and this was no more evident in the 16th minute when Daniel Jeffreywon a tackle on the edge of his own box and Matty Simpson drove forward on the counter attack. Full back Jeffrey continued to over lap and then produced a pin point cross for Mason Newman to head home.
Ely tried to extend their lead almost straight away with a George Darling strike, but to no avail. Thetford started to grow into the game and although they had a couple of chances Matty Simpsonand James Seymour both had attempts for the home side at the other end.
When you are away side and nothing is really happening for you what you want is the Gods to look down on you and give you a helping hand. In the 34th minute this happened when a short corner taken of Ross Bailey of Thetford was returned to him. Ely did not clear their lines quickly enough and when the ball was delivered into the six yard box Robins captain James Seymour’s attempted clearance came off his shin and the ball hit keeper Harry Reynolds in the face and into the next for the equaliser.
Ely went into the half time breaking trying to work out how the game was all square.
Spencer Saberton came on at right back for the injured Daniel Jeffrey and in the 47th minute a Jamie Alsop free kick into the box found a towering Ash Walter who header goal bounds just clipped the post and away for a goal kick.
Disappointingly this was to be Ely’s only chance they created until the 89th minute and with the weather elements changing Thetford started to apply a little bit more pressure. If the first goal was a gift from the gods I don’t know what the second was for visiting side. A debatable free kick given away by Ollie Brookes just inside his own half for allegedly climbing over the back of Thetford forward Robbie Priddle was given by the referee when it appeared the forward was making no attempt to go for the ball and was also backing into the Robins defender. The free kick was taken by Ross Bailey and with the wind now increasing his long range shot smashed against the bar and rebounded back onto the back of the diving Reynolds and into the net.
Ely never really recovered from that and disappointingly do not show any real desire to get back in the game or believe they could. Thetford could have increase their lead towards the end with a mistimed shot inside the six yard box.
Robins forward Alex Theobald did produce the last chance of the game just pulling his right foot shot wide of the post.
A game between two fairly evenly matched sides producing a couple of crazy own goals with a disappointing second half performance by the home side .