Winning Streak Ends For Thame United

LEAGUE MATCH 17/03/07 Slimbridge AFC 3, Thame United 0
THAME’S run of five unbeaten games came to an end on Saturday at Slimbridge in Gloucestershire, at the hands of a team strongly fancied to win the title. Although second in the league at the moment, Slimbridge have plenty of games in hand and had comfortably beat Thame United?s ground sharing hosts, Wallingford, 4 ? 0 during the week.
Despite facing gale force winds and being blinded by the low sun, Thame made a promising start and forced a corner in the first minute. The visitors still had Slimbridge under pressure when, after seven minutes, Slimbridge?s Joe Tustain broke through the Thame defence to score the first Slimbridge goal. From then on it was downhill for Thame with Goalkeeper Milan Barisic forced to make several fine saves during a period of heavy pressure.
On 33 minutes, Craig Cole scored Slimbridge?s second goal from a goalmouth scramble following a corner. In the dying seconds of the first half, Matt Green put the ball in the back of the Thame net to send the visitors in at half time three nil down.

In the second half, playing with the wind and sun in their favour, Thame were a different side and dominated the game. With a comfortable lead, Slimbridge were content to defend and this time it was the turn of the Slimbridge goalkeeper to take the pressure but, despite hitting the post and crossbar and forcing many fine saves, Thame were unable to get the elusive goal. Frustration showed and both Robbie Eason and Ben Connelly were booked for dissent, Ben Connelly taking a second yellow card, and being sent off with less than ten seconds of the game to go.

Thame United: Barisic, Ansell, Hocking, Boult (Captain), Eason, Matt Higgs, Connelly, Rhodes, Jack, Da Silva, Graves (Luke Rickets)

Thame are at home at Wallingford?s Hithercroft Stadium next Saturday (24th March) against Shortwood United.(K.O. 3.00)