Thetford march on in cup by beating Diss

Diss were beaten in the Norfolk Senior Cup quarter-final by Thetford Town on Tuesday night in a stormy match which turned in controversial fashion midway through the second half.

Diss finished the game with nine men. Stuart Garner was missing due to injury from some severe challenges in Saturday’s cup win at Norwich St. John’s.

The first half an hour was played at a frantic pace with few chances created. A 25th minute George Watts-Sturrock corner was headed on by Sam Bryant for Danny Wynne to have a shot blocked by team mate Jordan Rocastle. Thetford took the lead in the 37th minute when a shot from Matt Blake was blocked and fell inside the penalty area to the left for Bruno Tavares to shoot in.

Diss equalised in the 49th minute when a Luke Catchpole shot took a wicked deflection off a defender to wrong foot goalkeeper Mark Bowden as it spun low just inside the post.

In the 61st minute the home crowd were incensed as Matt Dixon went over as Mark Camidge came out and a penalty was awarded as Dixon celebrated his fall. Dixon took the penalty and shot wide. However, the home celebrations were dashed as a retake was awarded for mass encroachment by an army of players from both sides. Their presence had no effect on the poor kick from Dixon and he steadied himself to make it 2-1 from the retaken kick. Jon Abbott was sent off for his verbal observations.

The match now became out of control as a series of fouls resulted in varied decisions and a number of yellow cards. Catchpole had a shot held by Bowden on a rare occasion that he was not subjected to some of the worst tackles of the evening. As the yellow cards mounted – five to each team – it was inevitable that a player would collect two. Despite being more sinned against by his former team than being a sinner it was Catchpole who was to be sent off in the 77th minute.

Cary Clayton played the ball in from the right for Dixon to bring under control and slide his shot past Camidge and into the corner of the net to make it 3-1 in the 83rd minute.

Attendance: 120.