‘Gutsy’ Performance By Thame

OXFORDSHIRE Senior Cup; Thame United 0, Kidlington 2 -Tuesday, November 13.

Thame United have a good record in the Oxfordshire Senior Cup. They reached the semi final in 2005 and won the trophy in both 2001 and 2002. In those days they joined the competition in the later rounds. As a result of the events following the loss of Windmill Stadium however, Thame now play in the qualifying round and they faced Kidlington in that round last night.
Kidlington, of course, play in the Premier division of the Hellenic League, a higher league than Thame, so Kidlington were favourites to win. They won; but Thame put up such a gutsy performance that the game was goalless after 90 minutes. The deadlock was not broken until the 107th minute.

The first 15 minutes were fairly even but then Thame started to control the game and created several good chances. Towards the end of the first half however Kidlington came back and put Thame under pressure. This continued into the second half with Thame ?on the Back foot? until around the 70th minute when Thame again had more of the play. During normal time both sides had good chances which they failed to convert into goals. Both goalkeepers were busy with Thame?s keeper, Paul Searl in particularly good form.

The first period of extra time was fairly even but legs were tiring and mistakes were more numerous. Kidlington scored two minutes into the second period. A good through ball found Jimmy Deabill in space and he hit a strong shot from 15 yards, giving Searl no chance. Manager Mark West came on as Thame?s final substitute as his determined team searched for an equaliser. This inevitably left gaps at the back and in the final minute Kidlington broke out of defence scored their second through Lee Bolton.

Thame United: Searl, Ansell (Cowan), Graves, Boult, Hocking, Catlin (West), Connelly, Rhodes (Jewell), Jack, Marshall, Ricketts.