31/03/11…Thame’s up hill struggle for draw with Shrivenham

THAME United returned from Shrivenham on Tuesday evening, March 29, content with a point after both a difficult playing surface combined with injuries in the first half to the centre back pairing of Martin Brown and Nik Rhodes, and a major re-shuffle meant that Thame were unable to fully adopt their normal playing style.

Although United benefitted from the pronounced slope on the pitch in the first half, Shrivenham went closest to opening the scoring when, after only four minutes, a cut back from the bye-line was met by the Shrivenham striker whose close range effort could only find the side netting. Thame then had a great chance to take the lead five minutes later when man of the match Alex Stewart did well to cross from the left and James Faulkner?s powerful header from close range was well saved by the home keeper. Nik Rhodes was then replaced at the back by Mitchell Meredith after being injured and, shortly afterwards Shrivenham took the lead. A corner from the left was swung over and Roper had a clear header from only six yards and finished well.

The lead, however, lasted only five minutes as United equalised with the move of the match. Some quick interplay down the Thame left resulted in Alex Stewart putting Stuart Barr through. His low driven cross was met eight yards from goal by Faulkner, who swivelled and hit a first time shot beyond the keeper. Shortly afterwards it was the turn of captain Martin Brown to go off with an injury, and the re-shuffle saw Faulkner play the centre back role, with Stuart Braun coming in to midfield and Aaron Rogers joining Alex Stewart up front.

The second half lacked the intensity of the first half with much of the play condensed in the middle of the field. Neither side threatened to score and, whilst Shrivenham had a couple of opportunities that failed to hit the target, Thame created the best openings. Stewart, who was on the end of some physical defending from the Shrivenham back four, was instrumental in most of these, with the best opportunity arriving after 75 minutes when he beat four defenders in a run from the half way line only to see his effort from an acute angle go in to the side netting. It was as close as either side got and with the referee bringing the game to a close after only 89 minutes, Thame were happy to come away with a point and concentrate on a busy schedule of games over the coming weeks.

SCORE: Thame Utd 1, Shrivenham 1

Thame United: Barisic, Newell, Pykett, Rhodes (Meredith), Brown (Braun), Hayes, Connelly, Rogers, Stewart, Faulkner, Barr.