Thame recover from poor start to win thriller

Some games take a while to get going but not this one with both teams on the score sheet inside two minutes.

First on the score sheet were Ardley after Ade Talabi picked the ball up on the left before squaring to Elias Katsoloudi, who duly netted.

United, however, went straight down the other end and immediately equalised as Ben Connelly sent in a low cross and Andy Gledhill finished from close range.

The next 20 minutes saw the home side edge the game as Talabi continued to cause the United defence problems.

That said, Thame were not without their chances and on 23 minutes Ellis Hercules saw an effort come back off the post and in the ensuing goalmouth scramble United could not force the ball home.

The second goal eventually arrived for Thame on 27 minutes. Gledhill did well to rob Chris Jackson on the wide right, before pulling the back to the penalty spot where Dan West had timed his run to perfection, hitting a first time effort that gave Butler in the home goal no chance.

And just before half-time the lead was extended further as a David Lynn corner found Hercules at the far post who deftly beat his man before firing his effort, via a deflection, into the back of the net.

The second half initially lacked the goalmouth action of the first half, but after an hour United were reduced to ten men as Aiden Bailey was adjudged to have fouled Reece Bayliss as he was through on goal and, as the last man, the referee pulled out a red card.

United cleared the freekick, but the ball was crossed back in and Katsoloudi headed wide of Farrow to get the hosts back into the match.

Thoughts turned to defending for the remainder of the match and Thame did that with relatively ease, the only opportunity being a header from Luke Cray in the 90th minute that cleared the bar.

The three points lifts United back into the top half of the table ahead of this Saturday’s game against Highworth Town at the ASM Stadium.

On Tuesday, a goal from Anaclet Odhiambo was enough to give Kidlington victory over Thame in a closely-fought Senior Cup tie.