THAME UNITED 0
KIDLINGTON 0
Monday 22/4/19
15:00
ASM Stadium, Thame
Attendance- 145
Weather – 23 Celsius, Dry and Sunny
*** STARTING LINE UPS ***
Thame United – Hill (gk), Peake-Pijnen, Lynn, Essex, Jewell, Ashworth, Mepham, Sturgess (cpt), Goss, West, Martin
Subs used – Tack and Tutton
Kidlington FC – Lacey (gk), Tooke, Castle, Caren, Martin, Gabbidon (cpt), Coyle, Osboune-Ricketts, Odhiambo, Benjamin
Subs used – Jordan
Thame United entered the game in 8th position with a mathematical chance of reaching the playoffs. Whereas Kidlington knew any points from today would likely see them avoid the dreaded drop.
HT Score – Thame United 0 – 0 Kidlington
There was a strong crowd in numbers for the game which marked the importance of the match. Kidlington started with just Odhiambo up front on his own. Thame began defending high up the pitch and trying to press Kidlington early. There was an early offside whereby the ball a cross to West was headed onto the crossbar and the rebound was adjudged to be offside. Then came a moment of brilliance the over end when Hill denied a certain goal from a header. Hill had to stretch fully and low to his left to push the ball round the post for a corner. The follow up corner led to Kidlington’s Gabbidon leaping up and heading the ball onto the crossbar which proved to be a positive few minutes for the away side. Thame changed their approached and had less numbers forward and were resorted to playing the ball directly forward. Mepham showed his attacking flair down the right when he was able to put in a dangerous cross to the back post which did reach Peake-Pijnen. He was able to bring the ball down with ease but the shot at goal went wide of the post. Kidlington put together an attack of their own up the other end which led to Osbourne-Ricketts finding space outside the box and hitting a half volley over the bar. It was clear that Kidlington were targeting both flanks and attempting to play the ball behind Thame’s fullbacks when possible. A tackle on Benjamin meant he had to be substituted due to injury and Kidlington replaced him with Jordan. The chances continued to come for Thame and this time Goss had a shot blocked by the defender from inside the box. Later In the half Goss playing on the shoulder of the defender spun off him and dribbled up the wing towards goal, went past a defender before being one on one with the goalie and shooting agonisingly wide for the home side. Thame ended the half in control but were now relying on shoots from distance such as Martin’s effort from outside the box which flew wide of the post. A final chance for Thame this time fell to West who chested the ball down, before turning and striking the ball wide of goal.
FT Score – Thame United 0 – 0 Kidlington
The first chance of the second half was to come for Kidlington whereby a cross from Castle on the left wing was hit across the ground towards his teammate who could only scuff his shot for a goal kick. Thame also nearly broke the deadlock when a header from 3 yards out for West somehow went wide yet again for Thame.
We then saw a moment of relief for Thame when a late decision by the linesman put his flag up ruling out a goal for Kidlington. This certainly impacted on Thame as for the next 15 minutes there fewer chances and mistakes happening all over the field. A miss timed header back to Hill meant the ball came back out towards the opposition which meant the follow up attempt on goal had to be blocked by the diving defender to prevent a goal. Thame denied another great opportunity for a goal when a run at goal by Castle was only stopped by a last ditch tackle by Peake-Pijnen.
Against the run of play a through ball towards Thame’s pacey Tack led to a one on one with Lacey. Tack did manage did his effort on target but it hit Lacey’s legs much Thame’s frustration. Thame did begin to increase their tempo of play and were trying to get the ball into play faster. A long throw in by Lynn did each West who was able to control the ball and pass it backwards to Martin. The midfielder had plenty of space to get the shot away from 25 yards but again it went low and wide of goal
The final 10 minutes was a dramatic affair whereby news of results elsewhere had reached the Thame dug out and only a win would do. Thame captain Sturgess was encouraging his side to keep going and that they needed ‘one spark of brilliance’. With 5 minutes remaining a firmly struck shot by West looked like it was going in but a dramatic save by Lacey meant it was tipped over the bar.
*** MAN OF THE MATCH – Sponsored by Figaros’ Barber in Thame ***
This was decided by Mascot Charlie. He decided Craig Hill Thame United #1 put in a solid display in goal making one dramatic goal denying save but showed his class from set pieces and one on ones.
*** NEXT GAME ***
Cambridge City v Thame United
Saturday 27/4/19
15:00
The Glassworld Stadium
