03/12/12….Thame Utd back to their winning ways

AWAY League game: Saturday, December 1, 2012 – Flackwell Heath 2, Thame United 3; MATCH REPORT (Contributed) :

THAME United returned to their winning ways on Saturday when they visited Flackwell Heath and narrowly defeated their hosts 2-3. This was a good result as Thame were not at full strength, and despite having played fewer games, Flackwell were 2 league places above United. Despite the cold, it was a hugely entertaining game to watch, with both teams playing fast attacking football.

Thame scored after 8 minutes when Dan West won, and then took a free kick, 30-yards from goal; floating a ball in which Nik Rhodes met with a powerful, well placed, 10-yard header. It was all square 2 minutes later, when Mitchell Meredith was judged to have fouled an opponent in the area and John Isaac buried the spot kick. The hosts then took the lead on 16 minutes when a ball from midfield found former Thame player, Lewis Cordice in enough space to skilfully lift the ball over the advancing Thame keeper, Lee Farrow.

It was real end to end stuff, and United equalised with the best goal of the match after 30 minutes play. A throw in on the right found Niall Hodgkins, who headed the ball into the danger zone, but behind Ben Gray, who hit a quality half scissors kick into the top right hand corner of the Flackwell goal. West had a good chance when Calvin Evans made a good run to the right by-line and passed to him, but his shot was high. The game was tied at 2-2 when the teams went in for the half time break.

There was controversy 8 minutes after the restart when Nik Rhodes made a tackle from behind, on a home striker as he ran at goal, just outside the penalty area. Referee Sennett blew up and then consulted his linesman before deciding it was a ?last man? red card offence. Whilst this was a debatable decision, the referee then proceeded to dismiss the wrong man as the totally innocent Ellis Hercules was sent to the changing room. Down to 10 men and with the bulk of the second half remaining, United were forced to switch Evans to right back and move Meredith to central defender. Hodgkins also played deeper, and with only Gray up front, it was one-way -traffic as Flackwell laid siege to United?s goal.

The home side hit the crossbar twice and a goalpost once before, against the run of play, United scored the winner with 15 minutes of normal time remaining. Richard Jewell hit a long range shot which the home keeper should have collected comfortably but he knocked it into the path of Gray who was able to react quickly and fire home from 15-yards. The remainder of the match was nail-biting, but United held on to take the points.

This valuable win sees Thame climb 3 league places to 7th position.

Thame United. Farrow, Meredith, Hall, Hercules, Rhodes, Jewel, Evans, West, Hodgkins, Gray (Johnson), Ricketts.

United are away to Highworth next Saturday. Their next home game at the ASM Stadium is on Tuesday 11th December when they meet Ardley on the 3rd round of the Oxfordshire Senior Cup.