Match report by Harry Gillies as Clapton suffer FA Vase heartbreak against Thetford after a fantastic performance from the East London side.

Clapton Community FC welcomed Thetford Town FC on Saturday afternoon in the second round of the FA Vase. This was the furthest Clapton had ever reached in the competition.

The atmosphere at the Old Spotted Dog was electrifying, the anticipation palpable. Some 803 fans had made their way down to the ground, although it felt like thousands were in attendance. Music filled the Scaffold, flags waved, and nervous excitement ached in the bellies of the Clapton faithful.

One of the key moments of the match happened before a whistle was blown or a ball kicked. James Briggs was a last-minute addition to the starting line-up after Jeff Twumasi picked up an injury in the warm-up. The number 30 would put in a sublime performance for his team, becoming one of the key talking points of the match.

After a minute’s applause in memory of Clapton Youth Coach Stephen Jenkins, the game commenced.

First Half

Clapton started confidently. There was no apparent difference in level between the two sides despite Thetford flying high in the division above. James Goldring was key in transitional phases for Clapton, providing excellent balls down the channels for Fred Taylor and Noah Adejokun.

10 minutes in, Thetford started to get a feel for the ball; but their passing was indecisive and lacked penetration. Clapton had shorter spells of possession yet looked more threatening when they countered down either wing. They were menacing on the break.

Taylor dropped deep and effortlessly played a high outside of the boot pass beyond Thetford’s back line for Louis Brown to chase after and win a corner. This was just the bit of class needed to rev up the home support and create belief in the possibility of cup triumph.

Taylor was then at the receiving end of a ball from Brown, which seemed to play the number 7 in with a clear path to goal. Taylor took it down well, but the Thetford defence showed good determination to regroup and crowd him out before he could get a shot off.

Clapton continued to look dangerous down both wings while Thetford struggled to generate much flow in their game.

Midway through the half, Thetford combined to get a shot off at the edge of the box only for it to be intercepted by Clapton’s resilient defenders who rushed out to make the block. This was an essential part of the game plan that had been drilled into the players as manager Geoff Ocran said after the game: “That’s the desire, we’ve conceded a lot of goals from range, from outside the box. It’s about getting out there. Showing that desire to get out there and get the block.”

Clapton’s compactness was absolute. They nullified the attack of this higher division side. Thetford struggled to create anything substantial going forward. It felt like they filled up the empty moments with empty possession.

Their passing did later become more dynamic and faster with Elliot Smith creating from the back, but Clapton still looked more threatening. There was a chaotic moment in the box when Adejokun played in Brown who was left stretching and could not get the ball under his spell. The frantic clearance by Thetford was the prelude to an eruption of singing and chanting from the home support. The Clapton fans smelt blood.

The last 10 minutes of the half caught fire with fans riding on a wave of cup aspiration. Even the defensive display was a joy to behold. There were ‘nearly’ moments at both ends. Thetford’s closest chance came with a header from a set piece which was marvellously cleared off the line by last man Bailey Pryce, coming to the rescue of his goalkeeper.

A momentary switch of sides for both wingers saw Adejokun become a protagonist of the game. The winger demonstrated a range of skill and strength and was a constant handful.

The burning bright flames of the first half were smothered out by another determined Clapton block at the edge of the box, keeping the score dead even at the break.

Second Half

Adejokun began where he left off. The winger gave a full repertoire of his skill and pace for the Clapton fans to enjoy. He was enterprising down the right this time and delivered a low cross that was unfortunately cleared.

5 minutes later, Thetford’s Dylan Grove produced an audacious left footed shot from outside the box which went wide of the post. Thetford looked more threatening in the early stages as they moved the ball quicker from side to side. They tested Clapton’s defensive minerals with dangerous crosses into the box. The home side remained firm as they hooked numerous balls clear of danger.

Around 60 minutes, Thetford won a free kick at the edge of the box which Cameron King took, only to sky it over the bar, prompting a chorus of sarcastic cheers from Clapton fans.

Brown was presented with a gift just outside of the Thetford area, but he swiped a wild shot over the bar, as high as the Thetford free kick moments prior. Adejokun’s typical flair down the right-hand side lead to a corner. The ball was crossed in again to Brown who conjured up a scissor kick, which despite not beating the first man, turned Clapton fan euphoria up to the maximum.

The threatening Clapton play finally led to the ball landing in the net, only for Taylor’s sumptuous finish to be ruled out. Why it was ruled out was disputed at length in the Scaffold, but it emerged the assistant ref felt there was a handball from Taylor in the build-up.

A standout player for the opposition was Cameron King. There was a lot of talk about him before the game and it was evident he had played at a higher level. You could see he had a touch of quality and class, as he threaded passes between the lines and combined well with Kieran Money.

70 minutes in and the recurring theme of the second half continued as Adejokun brilliantly beat his man and swung his cross in. The ball failed to find a Clapton header or even a body part.

Both teams made substitutions to try and break, what seemed an eternally deadlocked game. Tami Unuefa came on for Taylor to freshen up the attack.

In the last 15 minutes, Briggs clipped a deep and accurate ball to the back post for Adejokun who just couldn’t quite arch his head fully and see the ball go underneath the stanchion. The pass from Briggs was of Premier League standard. A player who showed leadership in defensive midfield, stepping up to win every ball. He has clean and elegant technique which he combines with bravery when attempting a bold pass. A fan favourite.

Clapton also had a shout for a handball in the Thetford penalty area, prompting nothing but a wave of refusal from the ref. The closing stages were frantic, with both teams paradoxically going for it and sitting in simultaneously. The ref did Clapton no favours as he stopped a counter-attack, pulling it back for a free kick. He also harshly booked Brown for protesting a decision.

The match was a volcano that tempted the eruption of a goal. Both defences cancelled each other out and penalties was needed to change the score dormancy.

It’s a cliche that penalties are a lottery, but on days like this when the fans get so optimistic, it’s hard to attribute the bitter feeling in the throat to anything but the cruelty of luck.

Briggs slotted home a beauty in the bottom left corner. Sam Cook also nestled one in the top right. Thetford missed twice, but Clapton followed that up by missing twice, taking it to sudden death.

The heartbreak was set when Thetford keeper Ryan Dickerson saved Pryce’s strong shot, winning the game for his team after it went to 10 penalties, with it finishing 8-7. Thetford ran off in huddled celebration and the Clapton fans applauded and sang for their players.

Despite the ultimate disappointment, the game brought so much joy. There were many positives for Clapton to build upon. As Ocran said: “I said to the players all week, we’ve got nothing to fear. We set up with a game plan and that’s why I was so proud of them because our evolution as a team is following the game plan to a tee.”