Thame United return to winning ways (Contributed)

LEAGUE GAME: 12/12/09 – Thame United 3, Newbury 0 – MATCH REPORT from Bob Dickson:

THAME United returned to their winning ways at Wallingford on Saturday when they defeated Newbury 3-0. Although when the game started, Newbury were in 15th league position and Thame were third, the game was close and, apart from a fifteen minute period in which United scored all their goals, their was little to choose between the two teams.

The first half was fairly even. The visitors came close to scoring when, after about 20 minutes when visiting midfielder, Daniel Lachacz hit the Thame post from a free kick. Two minutes later Thame?s Ben Connelly was unlucky to see his chip, which had beaten the visiting keeper, headed off the goal line. Shortly afterwards, Nik Rhodes found the back of the visitors net following a set piece from a corner, but his effort was ruled off-side. At half time with the game was goalless, with Thame unable to find their real form.

Whatever manager Mark West said to his team at half time clearly worked as they controlled the first 15 minutes of the second half. United?s first goal came 5 minutes after the restart when Adam Rhodes hit a long, defence splitting, diagonal ball to Luke Ricketts on the left wing. Ricketts ran at goal but as he hit his shot, he was pulled back and the shot went wide. The referee immediately pointed to the penalty spot. Adam Rhodes took the spot kick, placing the ball in the bottom left of the goal.

Three minutes later Mark Jones met an Adam Rhodes free kick with a powerful header, forcing an outstanding save when the visiting keeper tipped the ball over the bar. Thame however equalised from the resultant corner when Nik Rhodes directed a header towards Jones who scrambled the ball in at the left hand corner from close range. Amazingly, the home side, who were now dominating the play, scored their third goal two minutes later. Following a run on the right Connelly played a good ball to Adam Rhodes who, beat his man, and hit a high cross from the right by-line to Jones who skillfully headed in. It could have been four a few minutes later, when Adam Rhodes met a Connelly cross, but his header hit the crossbar.

The visitors came back and started to pressurise the Thame goal and home keeper Lee Orkney was called into action. On 72 minutes Connelly was unfairly ?up ended? by the visiting keeper. Connelly went to react to the challenge but his self-discipline kicked in and he walked away. Amazingly and unjustifiably, the linesman called the referee over and Connelly was dismissed. With the job done, and down to 10 men, United were content to defend their lead for the remainder of the game.

Thame United: Orkney, Cowan, Newell (Way), N. Rhodes, Boult, El-Kassir, Connelly, Rhodes, Jones (Braun), Rogers (Wakelin), Ricketts.

Thame do not play in the league again until Boxing Day, Saturday 26th December, 2009, at 3pm, when they meet third placed Henley Town in a game which United must win to keep their promotion hopes alive.

photo: Thame United Manager, Mark West