Home   Sport   Article

Subscribe Now

Downham Town upset holders Gorleston for Norfolk Senior Cup glory at Carrow Road




Downham Town 4 Gorleston 2

Fletcher Toll was the hat-trick hero as underdogs Downham Town lifted the Norfolk Senior Cup.

Toll was in ominous form in front of goal as Downham ended a 58-year gap since their last Senior Cup success to end Gorleston Town’s grip on the trophy.

It was a momentous night for the Memorial Field outfit at Carrow Road - a week after their slender Thurlow Nunn Challenge Cup defeat at the hands of Harlow Town.

Downham Town, Norfolk Senior Cup Winners 2024. Picture: Ian Burt
Downham Town, Norfolk Senior Cup Winners 2024. Picture: Ian Burt

The prolific Toll opened the scoring 13 minutes before the break before the tie came to life with three goals in six minutes at the start of the second half.

George Keys replied four minutes after the restart but Toll made it 2-1 three minutes later and Joe Jackson increased Downham’s lead further on 55 minutes.

A late Christy Finch goal wasn’t enough for the Greens, as Toll completed his treble from the penalty spot in stoppage time.

Downham came into the final winless in their last five league games while the higher-league Greens had tasted victory in three of their last five outings.

Downham Town against Gorleston in the Norfolk Senior Cup at Carrow Road. Delight for Joe Jackson after putting his side 3-1 in front. Picture: Ian Burt
Downham Town against Gorleston in the Norfolk Senior Cup at Carrow Road. Delight for Joe Jackson after putting his side 3-1 in front. Picture: Ian Burt

Both sides had a splattering of ex-King’s Lynn Town players in their line-ups with Gorleston having at least six with midfielder Craig Parker perhaps the best-known having played 94 times in a Lynn shirt.

Despite being clear underdogs going into the game, Downham - conquerors of Wroxham in the quarter-finals - showed no signs of nerves on their big night.

After nine minutes, Gorleston was the first to threaten as Jacek Zielonka picked out Henry Pollock whose effort came back off the post.

The Downham response was almost immediate with their first attack of the final a minute later.

Jake Miller won the ball in his half before threading the ball through to Toll, who was desperately unlucky with an effort from 30 yards out after spotting Gorleston goalkeeper Jake Jessup well off his line.

Former Linnet Zielonka’s effort was just wide of the target midway through the half and Downham broke straight upfield to win a free-kick, which Toll headed over the woodwork.

Toll was running Gorleston ragged with some of his approach play and it was he who fired Downham in front in the 32nd minute following a flowing move down the right involving Eoin McQuaid and Jackson.

Downham goalkeeper Duncan McAnally was at full stretch to keep out an effort from Ismael Fatadjo while Luke Johnson’s long-range effort fizzed past the post on the stroke of half-time.

The Greens were back on level terms four minutes after the restart as Keys applied the finest of touches to Zielonka’s free-kick from the right.

But their joy was short-lived when Downham regained the lead shortly after Jake Miller’s long-range effort struck Toll and wrong-foot Jessup between the Gorleston posts.

The Thurlow Nunn Premier Division side were in dreamland as they extended their advantage three minutes later.

Magic Smalls did all the hard work down the right and McQuaid spotted the run of Jackson into the box and the frontman drilled home a third.

Gorleston’s night went from bad to worse 20 minutes into the second period when Joe Jefford was shown a straight red card for body-checking Toll with the striker bearing down on goal.

Toll - hungry for a hat-trick - forced Jessop into a save at point-blank range as Downham remained largely in command.

Christy Finch reduced the arrears with three minutes left on the clock but Downham’s Luke Reed was brought down in the box in injury time and Toll tucked away the spot-kick.

The win was also a fitting end to Craig Dickson’s stint as joint manager with him stepping down after five-and-a-half years in the dugout alongside Dale Stokes.

Downham Town: McAnally, Miller, Bird, Watts-Sturrock, Castellan, Smalls, Franks (Reed 60), Toll, McQuaid, Jackson (White 77, Prudence 83). Subs not used: Oughton, Gould, Bird.

Gorleston: Jessup, Johnson, Ingram (Hall 78), Frary, Jefford, Johnson, Fatadjo, Keys, Pollock (Finch 59), Zielonka (Matthews 77), Parker. Subs not used: Tann, Ashman.

Downham Town, Norfolk Senior Cup Winners 2024. Picture: Ian Burt
Downham Town, Norfolk Senior Cup Winners 2024. Picture: Ian Burt
Downham Town's hat-trick hero, Fletcher Toll. Picture: Ian Burt
Downham Town's hat-trick hero, Fletcher Toll. Picture: Ian Burt
Downham Town against Gorleston in the Norfolk Senior Cup at Carrow Road. Picture: Ian Burt
Downham Town against Gorleston in the Norfolk Senior Cup at Carrow Road. Picture: Ian Burt
Downham Town against Gorleston in the Norfolk Senior Cup at Carrow Road. Picture: Ian Burt
Downham Town against Gorleston in the Norfolk Senior Cup at Carrow Road. Picture: Ian Burt
Downham Town against Gorleston in the Norfolk Senior Cup at Carrow Road. Picture: Ian Burt
Downham Town against Gorleston in the Norfolk Senior Cup at Carrow Road. Picture: Ian Burt
Downham Town against Gorleston in the Norfolk Senior Cup at Carrow Road. Delight for Joe Jackson after putting his side 3-1 in front. Picture: Ian Burt
Downham Town against Gorleston in the Norfolk Senior Cup at Carrow Road. Delight for Joe Jackson after putting his side 3-1 in front. Picture: Ian Burt
Downham Town against Gorleston in the Norfolk Senior Cup at Carrow Road. The Downham fans. Picture: Ian Burt
Downham Town against Gorleston in the Norfolk Senior Cup at Carrow Road. The Downham fans. Picture: Ian Burt
Downham Town against Gorleston in the Norfolk Senior Cup at Carrow Road. Picture: Ian Burt
Downham Town against Gorleston in the Norfolk Senior Cup at Carrow Road. Picture: Ian Burt
Downham Town against Gorleston in the Norfolk Senior Cup at Carrow Road. Picture: Ian Burt
Downham Town against Gorleston in the Norfolk Senior Cup at Carrow Road. Picture: Ian Burt
Downham Town against Gorleston in the Norfolk Senior Cup at Carrow Road. Picture: Ian Burt
Downham Town against Gorleston in the Norfolk Senior Cup at Carrow Road. Picture: Ian Burt

Attendance: 715



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More