On a bitterly cold Tuesday evening at the ASM Stadium, it was FC Thame who reigned victorious in the Wycombe Senior Cup, defeating Flackwell Heath 3-2 in a highly contested affair.
Flackwell Heath held most of the early possession without looking like they would fashion any notable chances with FC Thame looking to catch them on the counter attack. The game's first real opportunity fell to Thame striker Ben Moses who forced the Flackwell Heath keeper into a smart save.
Flackwell continued to push and were nearly caught out on the counter as Sean Coles raced through on goal from the wide right just dinking an effort pass the post.
It was FC Thame who broke the deadlock on 15 minutes, a Shane Almond free kick caused a goalmouth scramble with the Flackwell defence only being able to clear the ball into one of their own players, sending the ball looping over the keepers head.
The next 10 minutes saw more of the same with Flackwell moving the ball around, but being thwarted by the impressive centre half partnership of Gibbons and Prosper.
Thame started to grow into the game as the half wore on with two headers from corners just sailing wide. Keeble then found Almond whose right footed curler couldn't bend in quick enough, going out for a goal kick.
On 38 minutes Almond picked up the ball 35 yards out, spotting a trademark run from Sean Coles, his threaded through ball found Coles' feet, who needed two bites at the cherry before slotting home underneath the Flackwell Keeper.
Alex Kedzerski picked up the ball in a similar position to Almond a few moments later. His pin point through ball sent Sean Coles through on goal again. Cooly lobbing the ball over the on-rushing Flackwell keeper to make it 3-0.
Flackwell could feel hard done by despite having a large share of the possession they went into the break 3- 0 down, they had been stifled by their own lack of creativity,unable to force Thame keeper Ashmead into a save.
Flackwell, determined not to make this an embarrassing defeat came out for the second half and now had more guile about their game, on 51 minutes they had their first shot on target. The second half continued much like the 1st with Flackwell holding all the possession but not being able to unlock the Thame defence despite a flurry of corners.
On 62 minutes Alex Kedzerski saw Red for reacting badly to what appeared to be a stamp from a Flackwell player. This would turn out to be the games turning point. From the resulting free kick Ashmead could only parry into Dan Burnells path who tapped in, to make it 3-1. Game on.
A minute later it was 3-2, a cross into the box was again met by Dan Burnell. Thame's hard work was starting to look like it might be undone by the red card. 5 minutes later manager Kev Poole had decided he needed to make the ball stick upfront, on came the returning from injury Tom Gant, who replaced Ryan Binnee.
For the next twenty minutes it was all Flackwell Heath, a thirty yard thunderbolt hit the bar. Whilst a spill from Keeper Ashmead fell straight to a Flackwell striker, who could only put wide of the post.
Flackwell continued to push for the equaliser and in the last five minutes threw the kitchen sink at the FC Thame backline with a series of long balls into the box. Would there be late drama?
As the game went into injury time Flackwell forced Ashmead into an impressive save from a corner with the rebound being sent over the bar. Ashmead went down with cramp, and as he was attended to the ref glanced at his watch. Could Flackwell create one last chance?
There was more late drama in the 6th minute of injury time as a long ball into the box was headed back towards goal with a sumptuous overhead kick being directed into the bottom corner by the Flackwell striker. Unfortunately for Flackwell the linesman had his flag up and the goal was disallowed much to the dismay of the Flackwell touchline.
From the resulting free kick the referee blew for full time and the ASM erupted into cheers as FC Thame had progressed into the next round in what had been a hugely entertaining encounter.
Man of the match could have been given to either of the two Thame Centre backs, Gibbons or Prosper who defended resolutely for 90 minutes.
FC Thame starting 11:
Ashmead
Paige
Brown
Keeble
Prosper
Gibbons
Binnee
Kedierski
Almond
Moses
Coles
