Thame United 1 Royal Wootton Bassett Town 0
Whilst United ended their home league campaign unbeaten for the season, they were made to work had for three points by their visitors.
With the exception of Matt Johnston coming back in to defence, Manager Mark West stuck with the side that had beaten Longlevens last weekend, whilst Royal Wootton Bassett Town came in to the game on the back of a heavy defeat at Flackwell Heath and with their manager promising to make it a tighter game.
And so it proved, although it could he been very different inside the first two minutes when Lynton Goss found himself in the box and, from an acute angle, drove his left foot effort against the far post. United continued to press, with calls for a penalty waved away, before the visitors started to gain a foothold in the game – with the front pairing of Steve Robertson and Sam Packer proving a particular handful. However, they were unable to get a meaningful shot on goal and after Goss had sent an effort over the bar and Dan West seen a drive saved low to Meare’s left, United eventually took the lead. A free kick on the left was floated in to the box by Goss, with Tom Ashworth beating his marker and looping a header over Meare and in to the net.
The second half started in a similar vein, with United pressing forward and Luke Ricketts putting a dangerous cross in to the area inside the opening 60 seconds. West then saw a flicked header from a Goss corner go just wide, before the same player hit a half volley from the edge of the box that Meare did well to push around. Goss then had a chance when through on goal, but Meare saved well with his body.
That said, it was not all United and as the game wore on the visitors benefitted from greater possession, with United dropping deeper in to their half. Numerous crosses were sent in to the United box, but these were well dealt with by Centre Back pairing of Ellis Hercules and Matt Johnston. Indeed, despite the increasing pressure, the visitors struggled to get their shots away and Craven in the Thame goal was rarely threatened.
In the end, United held on for the win, with their next match being a trip to Brackley Town Saints on Wednesday evening.
United: Craven, Evans, Lynn, Hercules, Johnston, Ashworth, Connelly, Goss (Gray), Morris, West, Ricketts
