16/01/11…….Three more points for Thame United

MATCH REPORT (Contributed) – Wootton Bassett Town 0, Thame United 1. UNITED secured their third 1-0 win in succession on Saturday but were very nearly made to pay for their failure to convert possession in to goals as the home side rattled the cross bar in the final few seconds of the game. As it was, Thame held out for a deserved victory and three points that consolidates their position in the league.

Played on a very damp pitch with a strong, gusting wind, it was Thame who grasped the ascendancy early on with Luke Ricketts and Ben Connelly causing problems for the home side down either flank. After the home keeper had done well to push a header from Alex Stewart over the bar after five minutes, United did not have long to wait to take the lead. Ricketts went on a powerful run down the Thame left before delivering a deep cross to Connelly who collected the ball on the right hand edge of the box. Connelly clipped the ball across the six yard box where Stewart, despite the close attention of his marker, was able to volley the ball beyond the keeper and in to the far corner of the net. It was no more than Thame deserved and the only surprise across the remainder of the half was that they were unable to extend the lead, despite some good chances falling to Aaron Rogers and Connor Hayes.

Whilst the second half was a more even affair in terms of possession, Brown and Saulsbury marshalled the defence well and the home side failed to create any real goal scoring opportunities. Indeed, it was United who looked the more dangerous in the final third of the field, mainly through the trickery of Connelly and Ricketts, and both created good chances for Stewart to extend the lead. Stewart, however, found the home keeper in good form as his efforts were to no avail. Nevertheless, as is the way when defending a one goal lead, the final few minutes became very tense as the home side pushed players forward in search of an equaliser. This resulted in their only real chance of the game when a cross from the right was side footed against the underside of the cross bar, dropping on to the Thame goal line before being cleared away. This turned out to be the final action of the game as Thame celebrated another victory and third clean sheet in a row.
Thame United: Barisic, Barr, N Rhodes, Saulsbury, Brown (Way), Cowan, Connelly, Hayes, Rogers (Meredith), Stewart, Ricketts.