Thame United ‘Outstanding’ Against Witney (Contributed)

Witney United 1, Thame United 1; THAME United travelled to the Marriotts Stadium on Saturday (17/02) to face a Witney United side who had beaten league leaders, North Leigh, in their previous fixture and in October had defeated Thame 7-0.
However, despite a 90th minute equaliser from Adam Rhodes for Thame, Witney will have been pleased to take anything out of this game given the outstanding performance from a Thame side battling against relegation.

Thame attacked Witney from the first minute when a cross from Darren Moore was met by the head of Anthony Dawson, only for the Witney keeper, Paul Tassell, to make the first of many good saves on a busy afternoon. This was followed seven minutes later when the impressive Nathan Jack hit a 25-yard shot that Tassell did well to save. With the Thame side continually pressurising the Witney players, especially through Kitson and Boult in midfield, and attacking quickly down either flank, chances were created at regular intervals, with Rhodes, Kitson, Hocking and Jack all going close to opening the scoring for Thame. Indeed, it was not until the 21st minute that Witney had their first serious attack with striker Lee Keyes unable to connect with a cross from the left. This proved the catalyst for Witney?s best spell of the game, albeit their only shot on target was a 25 yard free kick in the 40th minute that goalkeeper Lee Farrow expertly turned around the post.

The first twenty minutes of the second half saw both sides attacking, albeit with the Thame strikers looking more dangerous and testing Tassell on a number of occasions. However, the opening goal of the game came on 70 minutes when left back Chris Watkins was adjudged to have fouled former Thame striker, Mark Simms. The resultant penalty was calmly dispatched beyond Farrow by Keyes. Thame then stepped up the pressure in search of an equaliser as the Witney players struggled to cope physically with the high tempo of the game. Both Dawson and Kitson went close for Thame, before in the 84th minute Jack hit a powerful cross along the six yard line which eluded three on-rushing Thame players. This looked to be the last serious chance for Thame until deep in to injury time when a cross from the right and ensuing goal mouth scramble was ended by Adam Rhodes slamming the ball high in to the roof of the net. This sent the traveling support, players and management in to raptures and gave Thame a well deserved point.

Team:
Farrow, Smith (Ansell), Watkins, Higgs, Hocking, Kitson, Boult, Moore, Jack, Dawson, Rhodes

Sub (not used): West, Meredith.

Photo: Thame United’s new Manager, Mark Weston

Thame face a ?home? tie against AFC Wallingford in the First Round of the Supplementary Cup on Tuesday (20th, 7:45pm kick off), before an important six pointer against bottom of the table Harrow Hill in the league on Saturday (24th, 3:00pm) at the Hithercroft Stadium, Wallingford.