Double win for Thame United

THAME United traveled to Hellenic Premier Division side Kidlington on Saturday with a squad of around 30 players, for a double header with Kidlington Reserves and first team. The opening fixture between the respective Reserve sides saw United fall behind to an early goal, with former Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa player Garry Parker controlling the direction of play for Kidlington.

However, Thame came back in to the game strongly, and upset the hosts by scoring four goals and running out deserved 4-2 winners.

Bouyed by the result for the Reserve side, the First Team started well against a strong Kidlington side boasting last years Hellenic Premier Division Player of the Year. United also included the highly experienced Lee Orkney in goal with John Mitchell, a prolific goal scorer for United in their Southern League days and a target for Kettering Town only two seasons ago, returning up front.

Whilst Kidlington were generally on top for the early exchanges, they rarely threatened Orkney in the Thame goal, and it was United who took the lead in the 28th minute. Striker Aaron Rogers picked up a loose ball from the Kidlington defenders and neatly lobbed the stranded home keeper from 20 yards. There followed United?s best period of the half, as they kept the ball with a neat passing game, and were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty just before the break when Tom Hoskins was fouled within the area, only for the referee to give a free kick on the edge of the box.

Kidlington came out strongly at the start of the second half and forced United on to the back foot ? something United were prepared for and content to hit Kidlington on the break. As a consequence, Orkney was the busier of the two keepers, but kept United in the game by collecting all the crosses that came in to the Thame box and comfortably gathering a number of long distance shots on the Thame goal. However, in the 73rd minute Orkney produced a stupendous save from only two yards, and moments later United could have extended their lead when Ricketts, who did well to work space on the bye-line hit a pin point cross to substitute Corey Forbes who could only find the Kidlington keeper from six yards out. Forbes almost found the back of the net five minutes later, only to see his effort from 18 yards well saved by the keeper.

United did, however, extend their lead in the final move of the match. Forbes held the ball up well on the halfway line, before feeding Ricketts in the left wing back position, who hit a pin point pass down the line to substitute Matt Leach. Leach turned his marker and, from a narrow angle on the edge of the box, hit a powerful shot across the keeper who could only parry the ball in to the path of Tom Hoskins who placed the rebound comfortably wide of the keeper.

Whilst United will concede that it was not one of their best performances, the confident and assured display by Lee Orkney in goal provided a solid base for their attacking football that reflected the understanding and confidence within a settled squad and which was aided by the guile and experience of John Mitchell up front.

Thame United: Orkney, Gascoyne, Newell, Cowan, Hocking, Jones, El-Kassir, Hoskins, Mitchell, Rogers, Ricketts (Substitutes: Forbes, Gibbs, Leach)
18th July 2009

Picture: John Mitchell (blue) returning to action for Thame United following a three year absence