24/01/11……Last minute penalty seals game for Thame

LEAGUE GAME- 22/01/11 – Thame United 2, Pegasus Juniors 1; MATCH REPORT (Contributed by Bob Dixon)

THAME United narrowly defeated, Hereford based, Pegasus Juniors at the ASM stadium on Saturday with an extra-time penalty. Yet it was a game they could have won comfortably. United had the majority of ball possession and created more chances than the visitors. Some first-rate goalkeeping and frantic defending however prevented a straightforward victory.

Thame started brightly and went ahead in the fifth minute. Aaron Rogers fed the ball to Luke Ricketts, who ran to the left by-line before crossing and Alex Stewart met the ball, finishing confidently from six yards. The next few minutes saw the visiting keeper pull of excellent saves from Sam Cowan and Stuart Barr.

Thame were looking dangerous with Stewart?s flick-ons, and glancing headers creating chances. Both Ricketts and Barr were in good form, making good runs on their wings, and it looked to be only a matter if time before the second goal came. As the half progressed, however the visitors recovered, won more territory, and managed to hit the crossbar just before half time.

The second half continued with Barisic largely untroubled and the visiting keeper kept busy, pulling of one particularly good save by diving at Stewart?s feet. The game want through a scrappy phase with United seemingly destined to hang onto their narrow lead. Then, in the first minute of injury time, a through ball was fed to visiting striker Tom Boyle who ran at the Thame goal and finished well from 15-yards.

The game restarted and Barr made a run on the right, heading for the by-line, before being tripped by a defender. Referee Bayliss immediately pointed to the penalty spot. The visitors protested, and one of them was sent off. Stewart hit a hard well-placed penalty, giving the heroic keeper no chance. The final whistle blew seconds after the restart.

Thame United: Barisic. N Rhodes, Newell (Rockell), Saulsbury, Brown, Cowan, Barr, Hayes (Jones), Stewart, Rogers (Hunt), Ricketts.

PHOTO: Scorer of Thame’s last-minute penalty, Alex Steward