Bank Holiday Monday proved a day to forget for United as they were comfortably beaten 5 – 0 by a clinical AFC Dunstable side.
Three changes were made from the side beaten at Hayes and Yeading United on Saturday, with Henry Craven coming in as goalkeeper, Finlay Murray at right-back and Ellis Hercules at centre back.
And Craven was called in to action after only three minutes, doing well to smother a shot from Nathan Frater. However, five minutes late the same player hit a stunning 25-yard strike that arced in to the top corner beyond Craven. Despite the set back, United pressed and, after Murray has a shot charged down, Dan West saw a header on 30 minutes from a Lynton Goss cross just clear the bar.
Only a minute later and the lead was extended as Courtney Massey made a good run down the right, before crossing for Jermaine Hall to finish confidently. Hall then got his second, and the third for the visitors, on 33 minutes, when Frater crossed from the left and Hall had time to pick his spot and gave Craven no chance.
United looked to steady the ship, and could have pulled a goal back three minutes before the break when, firstly, Goss played an inch-perfect ball for Ricketts whose first time shot was blocked, before the resulting corner was headed over the bar by Hercules.
The opening stages of the second half were more even, with United enjoying more possession, but they remained unable to penetrate the visiting defence. Dunstable, however, continued to look dangerous and the lead was extended on 61 minute as a shot from Massey came back off the post, but only in to the path of Louis Bircham who finished well. The fifth goal arrived on 68 minutes as Frater was brought down in the box by Matt Johnston and Hall stepped up to send Craven the wrong way from the penalty spot and in the process complete his hat-trick.
Despite the score-line, United continued to press and substitute Andy Gledhill saw a header well saved whilst, in the closing stages, West twice went close.
United now move on looking to put the last two results behind them, and travel to Baldock Town on Sunday in the FA Cup.
Thame United: Craven, Murray, Lynn, Smyth (Johnston), Hercules, Sturgess (Gledhill), Connelly Goss, Morris (Dennis), West (Gledhill), Ricketts.
