FA Vase dream continues for Thame United

FA Vase 2nd Qualifying Round – Halstead Town 1, Thame United 1 – Saturday, September 19, 2009

UNITED returned from deepest Essex with their FA Vase dreams alive following a hard fought 1-1 draw against Halstead Town of the Eastern Counties League. United started the brighter of the two teams, kicking down the pronounced slope, and forcing two early corners that failed to trouble the home keeper. Halstead came back strongly and failed to hit the target with two headers before Adam Rhodes went close with a half volley from 20 yards in the 18th minute. Again Halstead came back strongly and a free header from 6 yards in the 22nd minute was placed over the bar when it seemed easier to score. For the remainder of half it was Halstead in the ascendancy but without any real penetration.

As with the first half, United started the second half strongly and very nearly opened the scoring in the 51st minute. A well worked corner was played to Ben Connelly on the edge of the box and delivered to the far post where a Nik Rhodes downward header was well saved by the keeper. Two minutes later and Stuart Barr collected the ball on the wide left and went on a penetrating run, with his angled drive from 20 yards coming back off the post but, unfortunately for Thame, straight back in to the hands of the home keeper. 10 minutes later and Barr, shot over from 20 yards when well placed. The remaining 25 minutes were a tense affair, with both defences on top.

With the score goalless after 90 minutes, the game went in to extra time and, again, it was United who started the brighter with Jones going close with two opportunities in the first few minutes. However, it was Halsted who opened the scoring in the 104th minute. Thame keeper Lee Orkney pulled off a stupendous save pushing a drive from 12 yards over the bar, but from the resulting corner Lee Townrow scored with a near post header. United came back strongly in the second period of extra time.

In the 107th minute an Adam Rhodes free kick was headed on by brother Nik in to the path of Mark Jones, who swivelled and hit a powerful left foot shot from close range in to the bottom corner. The equaliser was no less than United deserved and with their fitness telling, there only looked to be one winner. In the end, United were happy to bring their hosts back to Wallingford for a replay on Tuesday evening (22/09/09).

After Tuesday, United have another cup game on Saturday away at Kidlington.

Thame United: Orkney, Cowan, Wakelin, Hocking, N.Rhodes, A.Rhodes, El-Kassir, Connelly (Way), Rogers (Hoskin), Jones, Barr.