Disappointing Season’s End For Thame United But Reserves Triumph

MATCH REPORT – League Game – 28/04 – Thame United 0, Slimbridge 4.
THAME United brought their season to a close on Saturday, with a heavy defeat and a disappointing display against champions-elect, Slimbridge.
Despite having games in hand over current leaders North Leigh, Slimbridge realised that a win against Thame was vital to maintaining the pressure on the current leaders and they started as though they meant business. Indeed, with their first attack of the match and with the game less than a minute old, the ball fell to John Meadows some 30 yards from the Thame goal. Meadows hit an unstoppable shot that beat keeper Milan Barisic low to his right.

The following twenty minutes saw the best period of the game for Thame as they pressed for an equaliser. With James Saulsbury assured in midfield and the pace of Darren Moore and Adrian Smith causing the Slimbridge defence problems, Thame created in a number of half chances with both Saulsbury and Moore going close. However, as the half wore on Slimbridge searched for a second goal but, with the defence well marshalled by captain Dave Hocking, Barisic was largely untroubled.

With the game delicately poised 1-0, Thame were forced to make a couple of changes, with leading scorer Nathan Jack, himself returning from injury, replacing the injured Adrian Smith, and John Steadman replacing Matt Ansell at the back. However, Thame were again caught cold early in the second half when, after a good passing move, John Cant found himself in plenty of space to coolly beat Barisic from 12 yards. With the warm conditions sapping the player?s energy and Thame searching for a way back in to the game, Slimbridge exposed the gaps in the Thame defence and scored two further goals late in the game through Edward Ward.

This was a disappointing display from a side that in the last three months of the season had put in improved performances and always been in with a chance of getting results out of games. Although the defeat ensures Thame will finish in a relegation position, their fate for next season remains unknown due to the withdrawal from the league of two sides during the season and relegation and promotion issues from feeder leagues still unresolved.

Thame United: Barisic, Ansell (Steadman), Graves, Hocking, Higgs, Saulsbury, Rhodes, Connelly, Da Silva (Watkins), Moore, Smith (Jack).

THAME UNITED RESERVES finished their league programme on a high, with a 3-0 away win at Englefield Green Rovers. The result followed an impressive end to the season which saw new manager Marcus Walker, appointed in early March, losing only one game in nine, winning five and picking up 18 of the total 24 points Thame secured all season.

Thame United have their end of season awards ceremony at Racquets on the evening of 12th May 2007.