Thame United maintains 100% record (Contributed)

MATCH REPORT: Didcot Reserves 0, Thame United 1.

United maintained their 100% record in the league with a comfortable win on Bank Holiday Monday at Didcot Town Reserves. United went in to the game having kept clean sheets in each of their last three games and extended that record with a performance that provided further evidence that, in this league, solid defensive foundations will provide the recipe for success.

United were quickest out of the blocks when, after only two minutes, both the returning Stuart Barr and Lawrence El-Kassir went close following a cross from Aaron Rogers. However, the away support only had to wait another couple of minutes before United took the lead. A goal mouth scramble resulted in the ball falling at the feet of top goalscorer Mark Jones who confidently beat the keeper from close range for his sixth goal in seven appearances this season. Having taken the lead, United seemed content to preserve their position and for the remainder of the half the game was contained mainly in the middle of the pitch with neither keeper threatened. The only incident of note was the sending off of the Didcot Town striker who, having just been booked, was involved in a challenge with Thame keeper Lee Orkney that resulted in both players being booked and the striker leaving the field of play for his second bookable offence.

The second half started in similar vein to the first half, with United on the front foot. In the 56th minute Sam Cowan went close with a header from a Luke Ricketts corner whilst five minutes later substitute Thomas Hoskin shot wide when put through on goal by Ricketts. With only one man up front Didcot rarely threatened the Thame goal, although United were reminded of the importance of a second goal when, in the 72nd minute, the Didcot striker hit the bar with an effort from 25 yards. United responded immediately, with Adam Rhodes hitting the bar, before Hoskin placed a header over the bar from a Ricketts corner when fellow substitute Stuart Braun looked to be better placed. Braun then had an opportunity to seal the win but could only head wide from a Rhodes corner. The final opportunity fell to Rhodes in the 78th minute who, following good work down the right from Hoskin, saw his powerful shot from the angle beat both keeper and bar.

In the end, United held on with relative easy, making it four clean sheets in a row and seven straight wins in all competitions since the season start. United are without a game this coming Saturday, although the Reserves begin their season at home against Shrivenham Reserves (3pm kick off at Southern Road Recreation Ground). The following weekend (12th September) United have their biggest game for five years when they entertain Southern League Side Burnham in the FA Cup.

Thame United:

Orkney, Cowan, Wakelin (Hoskin, 45), Hocking (Gascoyne, 89), N.Rhodes, El-Kassir, A.Rhodes, Ricketts, Rogers (Braun, 60), Jones, Barr