Punishing end to Senior Cup hopes for Thame

THAME United were knocked out of the Oxfordshire Senior Cup on Saturday (20/12) as Banbury-based, Easington Sports, deservedly progressed to the next round.

The home side, who prior to the game were second in Division 1 East, came in to the game with a clear plan, played to their strengths, and punished United accordingly. An indication of the afternoon to come for United came after only five minutes, when Cockerilll was forced to push a drive from Steve Howkins wide of the post. The respite, however, was only short lived as the home side took the lead on 10 minutes. A cross field pass to Connor Grant was hit first time by the winger from 25 yards and flew past Cockerill. It was two five minutes later when a corner from the left was forced home at the far post by Andrew Stidder.

At this stage, United had done little going forward, but they got themselves back in to the game on 26 minutes when after a free kick had been cleared, Ollie Lynch put the ball back in to the box for Ellis Hercules to head home. Cockerill then made a good double-save on 29 minutes to keep the score unchanged going in to the break.

United came out strongly at the start of the second half, and they got themselves back in the game on 56 minutes when their best move of the game, involving Adam Morris and Alex Kedzierski, led to the latter crossing for Dan West to stroke home. Having hauled themselves back in to the game and in the ascendancy, United then gave away a third goal two minutes later when a corner from the left was headed in off the underside of the bar at the near post. It was four ten minutes later when a clearance from Cockerill was knocked back in to the Thame half to Howkins whose first time lob sailed over Cockerill and in to the back of the net. Shortly afterwards it was five as a well placed shot from 20 yards by Pete Moulder beat Cockerill.

Any prospect of United getting back in to the game ended on 76 minutes when a Dan West penalty, following a foul on Dan Jones, was saved by the home keeper, and despite pressing forward, United were unable to get back in to the game for a second time. Final score: Easington Sports 5 Thame United 2

United:
Cockerill, Evans (Gray), Hall, Hercules, Coverley, Lynch, Jones, Morris, Hodgkins (Gledhill), West, Kedzierski

SOURCE: Contributed by Jake Collinge