Thame ‘annililates’ Carterton qualifier

IT was payback time on Saturday (07/09) when Thame Utd recorded their highest scoring home win at the ASM Stadium by defeating Carterton 8-0 in an FA Vase qualifier.

Back in August 2006, Carterton thrashed Thame United 6-0 in a Hellenic Premier League match. Since then, the fortunes of the two clubs have changed and Carterton are currently in the lower reaches of Hellenic League Division One, West. A win was expected, but you can often throw the form book away when it comes to cup matches. This match however was no giant killing: it was more like an annihilation, with United scoring six goals in the first half.

The game saw the return of Luke Ricketts to the starting line up, whilst Lynton Goss played on the right wing, allowing Ben Connelly to move into midfield. The returning Lewis Cordice was also in the line up whist new signing, Simon Lynn, was on the bench, and came on in the second half.

After the initial exchanges, Thame controlled the game and went ahead in the 10th minute when Ellis Hercules played a through ball to Cordice who ran at goal, skilfully dribbled round the on-coming Keeper, and tapped the ball into an open goal. On 22 minutes Ricketts hit a long ball to Taylor Collins who intelligently lobbed the ball into the goal over the keepers head from 25-yards. The score was 3-0 two minutes later when Collins went for goal from a free kick, and the keeper parried the shot to Cordice who finished well from five yards. Thame’s spectacular forth goal, which was the best of the match, and will be a strong contender for goal of the season, was scored by full back, Ian Pykett, with a blistering 35-yard shot which went in off the crossbar. 

Cordice completed his hat trick from an acute angle in the 31st minute. Ten minutes later Matt Willett provided a perfect cross to Ben Connelly who confidently headed the ball home from eight yards.

A few minutes into the second half, Faulkner and Lynn came on to replace Hercules and Goss. Faulkner added his name to the growing list of scorers in the 53rd minute when he met a Cordice cross with a thundering 10-yard shot into the roof of the net. A few minutes later Carterton went down to 10 men when Jacob Dayol was dismissed for dissent. Thame’s final goal came with 15 minutes remaining when a Faulkner header hit the post and Rickets collected the rebound to fire home.

Thame will meet stiffer opposition in the next round when they travel to Woking-based Westfield FC on September 21. Their opponents play in the Combined Counties Premier division and have won their last five games, one of them an FA Cup game against Tuesday’s victors at the ASM Stadium, Shrivenham.

Thame United: Farrow, Willett, I Pykett, Hercules (Lynn), Rhodes, Goss (Faulkner), Connelly, Lynch, Collins (Sykes), Cordice, Ricketts.

United travel to Newbury next Saturday (14/09)and the reserves begin their campaign with a home game against Rayners Lane (3pm kick off). The next first team match at the ASM Stadium is on Tuesday, September 17, when Oxford City Nomads are the visitors (7.45pm kick off).

SOURCE: Contributed by Bob Dixon
PHOTO: Thame Utd’s Manager, Mark West