Walsham-le-Willows set for Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division play-off clash with Fakenham Town after Cornard United pull out of fixture

Walsham-le-Willows will be looking to make their extra freshness count when they head to Fakenham Town in the semi-finals of the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division play-offs tomorrow (3pm) – but it was very nearly the opposite situation.

After playing out a 1-1 draw at Harleston Town on Saturday – with Cameron Nicholls’ rifled effort with around 20 minutes to go securing a point after Josh Durham’s late first-half wonderstrike – the Willows were meant to play their final regular season fixture at home to Cornard United on Easter Monday.

But the club were left informing people on the day that it would not be going ahead with mid-table Cornard, who recently saw their manager Gary Monti depart ahead of schedule, not being able to field a team.

With basement side Sheringham having likewise called off against Ely City on Saturday, and the league subsequently awarding the points to the former, there was then a social media backlash when it emerged the fixture had been re-listed to be played on Wednesday.

It came with Mulbarton Wanderers having overtaken Walsham on goal difference in the final play-off spot, courtesy of a 2-2 draw at Harleston Town, leaving Chay Budd and Ian Hubbard’s side requiring a result.

With a potential first ever play-off match to follow for the club on Saturday, there was understandable resistance to playing the re-arranged fixture which Cornard had initially said they would be able to fulfil.

But on Tuesday lunchtime Thurlow Nunn League chairman Peter Hutchings was able to confirm to Suffolk News they had been contacted again by Cornard to say they would now been unable to field a team.

The outcome was the league awarding the three points to Walsham but as a ‘0-0 scoreline’ so as not to affect goal difference. It left the Willows back in fifth spot though, a point ahead of Mulbarton.

Walsham will now travel up to second-placed Fakenham Town with their hosts having lost out on the title and automatic promotion to Brantham Athletic after a goal difference swing between Saturday and Monday’s games.

The play-off final, should Walsham, who trailed Fakenham in the table by nine points, progress would see them as the away side once again next Saturday (3pm). Both ties would go straight to penalties in the result of a draw after 90 minutes.

Walsham lost both their early league games with Fakenham 2-1.

Meanwhile, Cornard are now left facing up to a fine of up to £500 fine – with their case set to be heard by the league’s management committee in mid May.

Homegrown player George Day stepped into the interim position and followed up a 3-1 defeat at Kirkley & Pakefield with Saturday’s 6-0 thrashing at home to Woodbridge Town with what a ‘depleted’ and ‘youthful’ side.

Chairman Tom Clark said a combination of ‘suspensions, injuries and unavailable players’ – with some not making it back from a trip abroad in time – left them with just ‘six or seven’ to face Walsham on Monday.

He said: “We did absolutely everything we could but it was a situation of letting Walsham know as early as possible as opposed to potentially letting people down in not turning up to the game and it costing both teams money.”

Their search for a new manager to lead them into 2025/26 is continuing.