Burnham 2 Thame United 3
United had to call on all their resources to defeat a Burnham side whose performance belied their league position.
With the match featuring top against bottom, it was the home side who raced out of the blocks, and in to a lead inside the first two minutes. A free kick was awarded just inside the United half, with the ball floated to the far side of the penalty area where an unmarked Jesse Wilson was able to control the ball and drive it past Craven with the outstretched leg of Ellis Hercules unable to do anything other than assist the ball in to the back of the net.
If that was not bad enough for the visitors, it got worse on 11 minutes. The dangerous Charlie Samuels found space on the left and sent in a cross low along the six yard line that Josh Jackman slid-in to put in to the roof of the net. By this time United had shown very little as an attacking threat and were indebted to goalkeeper Henry Craven on 19 minutes, doing well to catch a deflected shot to his left.
Gradually, however, United started to get a foothold in the game and they pulled a goal back on 36 minutes with their first effort on target. Lynton Goss did well to win a corner that Adam Morris floated to the near post and Dan West finished with a powerful header in to the roof of the net.
The score remained 2-1 at the break, albeit United went in to the second half with the wind at their backs. And increasing pressure eventually brought the equaliser on 64 minutes when another Morris corner was met by the head of West and Matt Johnston was on hand to force the ball over the line from close range.
With the home side by now offering little as an attacking threat, it was for United to try and unlock the Burnham defence. Lynton Goss had a great opportunity on 74 minutes, finding himself in space six yards from goal, but Kinsella in the home goal did well to block the effort. However, only two minutes later the winning goal arrived. Good interplay down the Thame right between Ben Connelly and Calvin Evans saw the ball played in-field to West just inside his own half, who flicked a pass that Goss raced on to. Goss then held off his marker before cutting in on goal and, from the wide right of the penalty area, placed an effort wide of Kinsella and in to the bottom corner of the goal.
By this stage, United were firmly in control and, with controlled possession, they saw out the remainder of the game with relative ease.
United: Craven, Evans, Lynn, Hercules, Johnston, Ashworth, Connelly, Goss, Morris, West, Nsomi.
