Goal fest takes Thame to fourth place

THAME United returned to winning ways at the ASM Stadium on Saturday (28/02) in a game of two halves against Cheltenham Saracens.

Playing against the blustery wind in the first half, United did not take long to get into their stride and opened the scoring after only five minutes. A shot from Conor McDonagh rebounded off the foot of the post to Dan West, who played the ball back to Dan Jones, whose first time cross was met by the head of McDonagh who made no mistake from five yards. United continued to press and the lead was extended on 15 minutes when McDonagh was again on hand to finish well after a goal mouth scramble.

At this stage it was all United, with first Ben Gray and then Adam Morris both hitting the woodwork, before the lead was extended on 19 minutes with West finishing well from a Jones pass. United were hungry for more and Cheal in the Cheltenham goal made three good saves, including an acrobatic effort from a West header, as the home side pressed. Ellis Hercules then had a header cleared off the line before the fourth goal arrived on 44 minutes with West was first to react to round the keeper and score from close range. There was still time for a fifth before the half was over, with John Mulholland heading in off the underside of the bar from a Jones corner.

With a five-nil lead at half time, the United faithful were looking forward to more goals in the second half. These they got, albeit all at the United end. First Conor Patterson finished well from close range to pull a goal back on 57 minutes, before Declan Chick did likewise on 70 minutes. United then went down to ten men when Ollie Lynch was shown a straight red card and the away side scored a third on 77 minutes through Ben Tunnicliffe.

United then nearly added to their tally as Cheal saved well from substitute Shannon Jesson, and Hercules went close in the dying stages.
The win moves United back up to fourth in the table, with a trip to Cirencester to face Wootton Bassett Town next Saturday.

Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division –  Thame United 5 Cheltenham Saracens 3

United:
Tapping, Connelly, Hall, Hercules, Mulholland, Lynch, Jones (Evans), Morris (Kedzierski), Gray (Jesson), McDonagh, West