Haverhill Rovers goalkeeper Frank Gammon on facing former club and table toppers Thetford Town this weekend

Frank Gammon is hoping Haverhill Rovers can flip the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division table on its head when they face his former club Thetford Town this weekend.

Rovers are looking to end a three-week enforced break from action, having seen their last two fixtures with Kirkley & Pakefield and Norwich United both called off, when they host Thetford for their final home game of 2022 on Saturday (3pm).

It will be a battle of top versus bottom in the Premier Division, with the table-topping visitors holding a six-point lead at the summit, while Rovers are at the foot of the table and remain seven points off of safety.

But goalkeeper Gammon, who arrived at the JR Crane Services Hub, The New Croft in September from Thetford, believes Rovers can provide an early Christmas present for their supporters with a first home win of the campaign.

“I jokingly always say it’s the reason why Thetford are doing so well is because they got rid of me!” Gammon said.

“No, I’m looking forward to playing them. A lot of the lads over there I’m good friends with and still talk to now.

“It will be good to see some old faces, but on Saturday I would love nothing more than a win, just for where we are in the table.

“If I’m being honest this league has proven all year that it doesn’t matter where you are in the league, you can get a result.

“Kirkley got a win at Mildenhall recently and you’ve seen results all over the place this year.

“There’s nothing to say we can’t win. We’ve got a competitive squad and the work rate is fantastic and now we’ve got players coming back from injuries.

“It’s been the last few weeks with injuries and players playing in positions they don’t normally play in. Going into this game it will be the first time in maybe four or five weeks where we’ll be able to play everyone in their actual right positions.”

The inclement weather last weekend forced a full postponement of all the fixtures in the Premier Division, including Rovers’ planned trip to Norwich.

It means Marc Benterman’s side will start 2023 in the relegation zone, with a Boxing Day visit to Newmarket Town closing out the calendar year for Rovers, but their number one Gammon remains confident they can pull away to safety during the second half of the season.

“If we can beat Thetford then it’s a massive mentality change, but even a draw is a good result for us and we can push on,” he said.

“I honestly think we can go and beat Newmarket. It’s always a big game for Haverhill and I didn’t know that before I signed.

“It’s a local derby and I think we can go and get points there on Boxing Day with the signings that we’ve made. The players are slowly starting to understand what the manger wants now.”

Gammon continued: “I’m actually really confident and very excited to see what comes in the second half of the league.

“I’m more than confident that we’ll stay up. I’ve got no qualms with that at all.”

Gammon made his debut in goal for Rovers in the 0-0 draw at home with then leaders Harleston Town, and also kept a clean sheet in their 1-0 win at Whitton United in October.

And while Rovers have not been able to add to their points tally since then, the shot-stopper can clearly see progress is being made.

“I’ve never in my career in football conceded 10 goals in a game before (10-0 loss to Norwich on October 8), Gammon said. “It was tough, but it’s been a big turnaround and it’s only going to be upwards from here.”