Thame back on track with 4 – 1 win over Wootten Bassett

THAME United responded in style on Saturday (24/01) to the end of their winning streak last week, with a confident and comfortable victory against Wootton Bassett Town at the ASM Stadium.

Mark West

Manager Mark West made a number of changes to the side beaten last week, with Jon Coverley, Alex Kedzierski and Connor McDonagh all coming in to the side. And despite the changes it was the visitors who started the brightest, albeit the first clear chance fell to United on five minutes when good inter-play between Ben Gray and Dan West saw McDonagh through, only for his effort on goal to go narrowly wide from an acute angle. However, United only had to wait another three minutes to take the lead. West, on the halfway line, hooked the ball over his shoulder, putting McDonagh through on goal who held off the retreating defender to confidently beat the keeper and score his first ever goal for United.

Opportunities then came and went for West and Matt Hall, before the lead was extended on 17 minutes. Ben Gray crossed from the right and McDonagh smashed a first time half volley in to the roof of the net giving the keeper no chance. The visitors then created their first chance, with Matt Tapping doing well to hold on to a close range volley, before the lead was extended further on 33 minutes. Left-back, Matt Hall, hit a long cross in to the box that Ben Gray, getting across the front of his marker, headed confidently beyond the keeper. At 3-0 United were looking comfortable but Wootton Basset Town nearly scored just before halt time when a strike came back off the post, with Tapping able to gather the rebound.

It was game over three minutes in to the second half, with McDonagh completing his hat-trick with a well-placed shot from the edge of the box that curled beyond the keeper. United pushed for more, and another McDonagh effort was saved by the keeper before Ben Gray went close on 61 minutes, shortly after which the visitors hit the woodwork for the second time. For the remainder of the game, however, there was little action until the final minutes when Ellis Hercules was penalised for a challenge in the box and Steve Yeardley stepped up to secure a late consolation.
The win pushes United back up to third in the table, before a trip to Reading Town next weekend.

United:
Tapping, Coverley, Hall, Mulholland, Hercules, Kedzierski (Lynch), Gray (Jesson), Morris, McDonagh (Hodgkins), West, Ricketts.