Thetford 13 Mistley 8

Thetford hopes of a double promotion triumph were dashed on the last day of the Greene King IPA Eastern Counties Two season.

The rugby club needed other results to go their way to have any hope of emulating the town’s football club, who have already clinched promotion to the Premier Division of the Ridgeons League.

They did what they had to do, ending their season with a nail-biting 13-8 victory over Mistley. But they were then relying on an unlikely defeat for Thurston against bottom club Sawston.

That never looked likely, however, as Thurston won 64-0 to clinch second place behind Hadleigh, who finished their campaign with a 45-12 win at Felixstowe.

The results left Thetford third, a point short of promotion and one place above Swaffham, who had already finished their league fixtures. But the near miss will not disguise the fact that it has been an excellent season for Liam Burnell’s team.

Swaffham, however, could finish the season with some silverware as they travel to Crusaders on Sunday for the Norfolk Junior Cup final (kick-off 3pm).