‘Smash and grab’ at Thame United

PENN AND HAZLEMERE implemented the perfect ?smash and grab? raid on Saturday (22/11, as they left the Hithercroft Stadium with three points, despite being given a lesson in football by a Thame United side who did everything but score.
United opened brightly with both Adam Rhodes and Mark Jones going close from 20 yards in the first 10 minutes. After 12 minutes Thame keeper, Paul Searl, was called in to action for one of the few times during the game, saving well to his left after Rino Sepede had got the wrong side of his marker. After a quarter of an hour, right winger Ben Connelly made the first of many jinking runs that tormented the young Penn left back for the remainder of the game, seeing his cross cause a goalmouth scramble from which Thame were unable to score. Ten minutes later and Mark Jones re-paid the compliment, crossing to Connelly who from only eight yards managed to place his effort straight at the keeper. Two minutes later and Penn had another let off when a Nik Rhodes effort was deflected wide.

With the second half only a few minutes old, Mark Jones had a great chance to give Thame the lead, heading just wide from a Connelly cross. A few minutes later and Thame thought they had taken the lead, only for the referee to blow-up for an infringement as the ball hit the back of the net. The only goal of the game came in the 58th minute when Penn captain Gary Finch was given too much time on the edge of the box and, whilst his shot looked to be covered by Searl, it took a wicked deflection off the out stretched foot of Nik Rhodes and in to the corner of the net. For the remainder of the game Thame pressed for an equalizer, with Connelly, Jones and Graeme Catlin all going close. However, Thame were unable to find the equaliser and Penn left with the three points.

THAME UNITED 0, PENN & TYLERS GREEN 1

Thame United: Searl, Thompson, Graves, N.Rhodes, Newell, Cowan, Connelly, A Rhodes, Catlin (Hoskin), Jones, Ricketts.

Thame United have a home game against Trowbridge Town in the Supplementary League Cup on November 29, (3:00pm kick off at Hithercroft, Wallingford).