Thame’s unbeaten run ends with Highworth win

SATURDAY’S match (28/12) at the ASM Stadium in Thame will be long be remembered by Thame and Highworth fans for all the wrong reasons. Referee Mateusz Filipiak lost both the respect of the players and control of the game and, as a result, seven players were dismissed from the pitch, four from Thame, and three from Highworth. For the record Highworth Town beat Thame United 0 – 2 and ended Thame’s run of eight unbeaten games.

Due to injuries and non-availability of players Thame started the game with four changes from the squad that drew with Ardley United on Boxing Day. Injured goalkeeper Lee Farrow was replaced by reserve keeper Josh Cockerel, whilst Matt Hall played at left back, Matt Willett at centre half and Matt Johnston started the game as a striker.

After a few minutes play Ian Pykett received a black eye and was replaced by Luke Hurley who went up front, Matt Willet was switched to right back, and Matt Johnson dropped back to central defence. The visitors went ahead in the 27th minute when a cross/shot from the left hit the far post and rebounded across the goalmouth where striker Terry Bohane finished confidently from 5-yards. Thame were facing a determined defence and the visiting goalkeeper was rarely tested. Two minutes before the break Ben Connelly made a promising run on the right but was pulled back before he could hit a cross. Amazingly the referee awarded a free kick to Highworth. What can only be described as a brawl followed the decision during which Connelly was seen to be in a headlock. Once the teams were separated, visiting centre half Chris Flanagan was shown a red card, whilst Connelly received a yellow. It was 0 – 1 at the break.

If the first half was bad, the second was worse. After a scrappy period of play Thame had a good case for a penalty for hand ball which was ignored. With 20 minutes remaining Louis Cordice was sent off, presumably for dissent. A few minutes later, Ellis Hercules made what looked like a fair tackle only to also be shown a red card. At this point it was Thame’s nine verses Hghworth’s ten but despite this, Thame went in search of the equaliser, winning a free kick, and then moving defenders forward to meet it. This left them venerable to a counterattack and sure enough when the ball was cleared, it was passed to Bohane near the halfway line, who ran at goal and beat Cockerel from 15-yards. The referee then dismissed the visitor’s Bradley Clarke for a second yellow after he kicked the ball away, following a foul. The final minutes saw another scuffle and the dismissal of Thame’s Ben Connelly and Matt Willet, together with Highworth’s Toby Clark.

The remarkable thing was that there was not a single dangerous tackle during the entire game.

Thame United: Cockerel, I Pykett ((Hurley, (Davis)), Hall, Hercules, Willet, Lynch, Connelly, West, Johnson, Cordice, Ricketts.

Thame entertain Highmore Ibis at the ASM Stadium next Saturday 4th January.

SOURCE: Contributed