Thame United 2 – Yaxley 1
United welcomed Yaxley to the ASM Stadium on Saturday and maintained their 100% league record thanks to a brace from Andy Gledhill.
The match saw the first competitive fixture between the sides, with the Peterborough-based Yaxley having been promoted from the United Counties League last season. The only change for United from the side that had collected three points at Aylesbury United on Bank Holiday Monday saw Aaron Jewell come in for Dan James at Centre Back.
United were quickly out-of-the-blocks and opened the scoring on three minutes when Gledhill dispossessed a visiting defender and calmly placed the ball wide of Sutton in the Yaxley goal. It was two only four minutes later when a through ball from captain Ben Sturgess found Gledhill in space on the edge of the box and he controlled the ball before drilling an effort beyond Sutton and in to the bottom corner.
Aston Goss then saw an effort saved on 12 minutes by Sutton as the United dominance continued, before the visitors gradually got back in to the game and started to enjoy more possession. However, the resolute and disciplined defending that was evident on Bank Holiday Monday continued and the visitors were unable to trouble Craig Hill in the Thame goal. Indeed, it was United who came the nearest to scoring in the remainder of the first half when, on 26 minutes, Marcus Mealing hit a stinging shot from 25 yards that Sutton palmed away for a corner.
The second half started brightly for United, with Sturgess seeing an effort saved by Sutton on 47 minutes. Again, however, Yaxley started to dominate the possession but, as with the first half, they were unable to penetrate the Thame defence and any efforts on goal were generally from distance. Indeed, it was United who came nearest to scoring when, on 71 minutes, substitute Liam Tack found space on the right and, from the angle, smashed an effort against the post with Sutton well beaten.
Nevertheless the visitors were, eventually, gifted an opportunity when a defensive error on 75 minutes allowed substitute Tom Waumsley to fire wide of Hill and in to the far corner. United, however, maintained the defensive strength that has served them well over recent weeks and held out relatively comfortably for the three points.
United, along with Peterborough Sports, are the only sides in the league to have a 100% record after the opening four fixtures.
United: Hill, Mepham, Lynn, Essex, Jewell, Martin, Scott (Tack), Sturgess, Gledhill (Elliott), Mealing (Ashworth), Goss.
