Thetford Town’s tough run of games continued with a 5-0 home loss in the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division.

Third-placed Stanway Rovers made the journey from Essex and left Mundford Road with all three points after a dominant performance.

The visitors went ahead in just the fourth minute but the Brecklanders then rallied, with Ryan Pearson seeing a penalty appeal turned away in the 11th minute and Shaun Hunsdon hitting the post five minutes later.

An entertaining game saw the hosts forced to clear one effort off the line and Robbie Priddle then forced a good save from the Stanway keeper from 20 yards, before Rovers doubled their lead with a head from a free-kick.

Ten minutes into the second half the game started to slip out of reach for Danny White’s side as Stanway made it 3-0 from a corner.

The onslaught continued, with skipper Sam Bond preventing a fourth goal with a saving tackle in the 62nd minute, Dave Coomber-Willis clearing off the line eight minutes later and Matt Barker making another good save soon after.

The resistance was broken in the 74th minute when Rovers scrambled home a fourth and sloppy defending then saw the Colchester side complete the 5-0 win five minutes from full-time.

The defeat added to a hard-fought 4-4 draw at Kirkley and Pakefield at the start of the month and a 4-0 loss at league leaders Norwich United last time out.

The Brecklanders are without a game this weekend due to scheduled opponents Ipswich Wanderers’ involvement in the FA Vase, making a long trip to Cornwall to face Bodmin Town in the fourth round.

Thetford return to action with a Friday night home game against seventh-placed Newmarket Town on February 5, in a 7.45pm kick-off.

Thetford: Matt Barker, Sam Bond (C), Andrew Cussack, Alex Gyast, Dave Coomber-Willis, Luke Bailey, Elliot Gibson, Ryan Pearson, Robbie Priddle, Shaun Hunsdon, Danny Foster. Subs: Ian Fancett, Danny White, Oliver Standley, Josh Baczey, Michael Corbyn.