Thame United 0 Barton Rovers 2
United surrendered their 100% start to the league campaign on Saturday, as visitors Barton Rovers walked away with the points.
With manager Mark West making a number of changes to the side beaten at Didcot Town in the League Cup on Tuesday evening, United started the brighter of the sides and almost took the lead on two minutes when a Liam Tack effort from an acute angle was saved by Charlie Jones. The visitors themselves possessed their own threat in striker Victor Osubu, and he went close on six minutes forcing Craig Hill to make a fine save. Shortly afterwards, a Tack effort was saved, with the next effort on goal not coming until the 26th minutes when, again, a Tack effort was deflected wide.
A Rovers free kick on the half hour cleared the bar before Hill made the save of the match. Good play down the visitors right resulted in a cross in to the box where Osubu found himself in space on the six yard line, in the centre of the goal. He connected with the ball well enough, but Hill flung himself across to the right to produce a stupendous save. That was the last meaningful action as the game went in to half time goalless.
The visitors came out strongly in the second half and, on 48 minutes, a good effort went just wide of the post. However, the opening goal arrived shortly afterwards, when the home defence failed to pick-up Paul Andrews at the back post following a Barton corner and he was on hand to force the ball home from close range. United looked to get back in to the game but, for all their possession, they were unable to break down a resolute Barton defence. The best opportunity arrived on 78 minutes when a cross from the right by substitute Laurence Clark was met by the head of Andy Gledhill but his glanced effort hit the outside of the post.
Barton then killed off the game on 80 minutes when a swift attack saw the ball fall at the feet of striker Andrew Phillips and he comfortably placed the ball wide of Hill. United continued to press in the remainder of the game without creating any meaningful goal scoring opportunities, as the visitors secured their third league win of the season.
The result sees United drop to fourth in the table, a point off new league leaders Bromsgrove Sporting.
