After a long, and somewhat tortuous, journey to Gloucester on a Tuesday evening, United faced a strong Tuffley side looking to maintain their winning streak.
Manager Mark West stuck with the side that had come back from two goals down to defeat Burnham on Saturday, with United playing up the slope in the first half and in to a strong breeze. Whilst, for the majority of the half, possession between the two sides was fairly even, the better chances fell to the home side with Henry Craven in the Thame goal doing well to hold a couple of long range efforts. For United the nearest they came to scoring was when an Ellis Hercules header from an Adam Morris corner went wide of the near post.
If the first half had been bereft of any meaningful action, the second half came to life within the first two minutes as United opened the scoring. Good play down the Thame left saw the ball fed to Dan West on the edge of the box. West then hooked the ball in to the path of Tom Ashworth who, eight yards from goal, confidently placed the ball wide of Evans.
The lead was almost doubled ten minutes later when a cross from the left by David Lynn found its way to Ben Connelly at the far post, but his goal-bound effort was cleared off the line. The second goal did, however, arrive shortly afterwards. Dan West was fouled 25 yards from goal and Lynton Goss stepped-up to place a delightful free kick up-and-over the wall and in to the top corner of the net, giving Evans no chance.
By this stage, United had the upper hand but gradually the home side started to get back in to the game, and they pulled a goal back with a little over 15 minutes to go. Good work down the Thame left saw the ball crossed to the far post where Jamie Goodwin out-jumped his marker to give Craven no chance.
Despite the goal, and the anticipated pressure, United maintained possession of the ball for the remainder of the game, with the home side unable to create any further chances.
With Ardley beating Bracknell Town last night it means that if Thame win their final two games against Lydney Town and Henley Town they will win the Hellenic League. If Bracknell slip in their next couple of games, Thame could even win it at Lydney just as Kidlington did last season
United: Craven, Evans, Lynn, Hercules, Johnston, Ashworth, Connelly, Goss, Morris, West, Nsomi.
