Thame United 3 - 3 Ware FC

17th August 2026

Thame United welcomed Ware FC to the ASM Stadium in the Pitching In Southern League Central Division One. Last season, the two teams played out two draws. Ware had started the season with two draws, while Thame suffered an opening-day defeat to Royston. Manager Ben Williams welcomed back Callum Hall at right-back, with Fin Murray moving into the centre of defence and Luke Tingey dropping to the bench. Greg Hackett was missing, so Curtis Brown started the game up front in a central role.

Ware got the game underway, kicking into the sun towards the Ring Road End, and started strongly. In the opening five minutes, they created a number of early chances, forcing keeper Callan into several saves. The early pressure nearly saw them take the lead on 10 minutes when a cross into the box was met by the number seven, but his shot was parried by Callan, with the ball falling to the Ware number nine, whose effort was also saved by the keeper.

A few minutes later, the Thame players and bench were incensed by a challenge on keeper Callan, who was clearly taken out while attempting to clear a through ball. Unbelievably, the referee waved away the appeal and allowed play to continue, although the attack fortunately came to nothing for the home side.

After withstanding a bit of an onslaught from the visitors, the home side took the lead against the run of play on 16 minutes. A throw-in from Josh Stranks to Ed Daffern led to the ball being worked down the Thame left before a cross into the box. The ball was met by Harry Alexander on the right-hand side of the area, but his touch took it away from him.

A Ware defender then cleared the ball up into the air, where Jack Tutton was first to react and, with a sweet right-footed volley, beat the keeper at the near post.

Thame doubled their lead on 45 minutes. Curtis Brown picked the ball up on the right-hand side, drove past the left-back and into the edge of the area, and played the ball across the six-yard box to the far post, where Ed Daffern was arriving. He smashed the ball into the roof of the net, giving the keeper no chance. It was Ed’s first goal for Thame United.

The visitors pulled a goal back with the last kick of the half. After Thame gave away a free kick on the right-hand side near the goal line, the ball was played into the box and cleared for a corner on the right. The resulting corner was then cleared for another corner on the left. This time, the ball was delivered to the near post, over the head of a Thame defender, which caught keeper Callan off guard. He could only push the ball into the net off the side of his fist. There was no time for the restart, as the referee blew for half-time.

Thame got the second half underway, but Ware were level on 51 minutes with a breakaway goal after Thame gave the ball away on the edge of the Ware box. Ware counter-attacked at pace, with the home side failing to make a tackle on the Ware number seven, who broke into the box on the left and finished past the diving keeper.

Ware upped their game and were on top, but again, against the run of play, Thame retook the lead on 58 minutes. The ball was played down the middle of the pitch and headed back into the 18-yard box by a Ware defender. Harry Alexander rose first to head the ball into the path of Ed Daffern. Running in on the left-hand side, he took a touch and chipped it over the keeper and into the right-hand side of the net.

Ware continued to put pressure on the Thame defence and were getting the upper hand in midfield. They drew level again with ten minutes of normal time remaining, this time from a penalty conceded after a cross into the box from the left. With little danger apparent, the ball was there to be cleared on the left side of the area, but as the Thame player swung a foot at it, he failed to see the Ware player behind him and made contact. The referee pointed to the spot, and the kick was converted into the left-hand side of the net by the number nine.

The home side made a triple substitution on 80 minutes, with Jamie Davies, Charlie Stow and Charlie Bacon replacing Hayden Beadle, Ed Daffern and Curtis Brown, while Harry Alexander moved from the wing into the number 10 position.

Both sides were looking for the win. Thame’s best chance came when Charlie Stow broke forward and ran towards the edge of the area. He should have played a cross-field ball to an unmarked Charlie Bacon, but delayed his pass and the Ware defence cleared.

At the other end, keeper Callan was forced into a save from a header following a Ware free kick. In the final few minutes, Harry Alexander had a shot blocked and Charlie Bacon went down in the area, but appeals for a penalty were waved away.

The game ended all square, as the two teams continued to share the points in recent meetings. Ware were on top for much of the second half and, on reflection, a draw was probably a fair result.

Attendance: 104

Goals