Category: Sports News

Thame United 1, Leighton Town 2 – 7/1/06

THAME?s young team stay at the foot of the table after a match which either side could have won.
Both sides went close in a goalless first half. On 14 minutes Leighton?s James Kidd was unlucky to see his free kick hit the crossbar with the Thame keeper, Paul Searl beaten. Just before half time Thame?s Darren Moore found himself through on goal, but with only the keeper to beat, put his shot wide.

The second half was 15 minutes old when Ben Freeman came on to replace Alex Stewart. Freeman moved into his usual midfield role whilst Gavin Lane, who until recently has played as a full back, replaced Stewart up front. A minute later Leighton broke the deadlock when Andy Fagan made a good run to the right by-line before pulling the ball back to Paul Reed, who?s well-placed shot from the edge of the area found the Thame net.

Eleven minutes later Michael Chennells exploited a defensive gap on the left and hit Lieghton?s second from 10 yards. Thame pressed forward and were rewarded in the 90th minute when Luke Fisher met a Freeman free kick to fire home from an acute angle. The final minutes saw frantic action in front of the Leighton goal but Leighton defended well and Thame were unable to equalise.

Thame United: Searl, Eason, N. Rhodes, Bradley, Lane (Capt.), N. Stewart, Connelly (Fisher), A. Rhodes (Boland), A. Stewart (Freeman), Moore, Groves.

Thame United do not have a fixture next Saturday 14th January. Their next game is on Saturday 21st when Bedworth United visit Buckingham Road Stadium.

League Away game January 7, 2006
Scorers
Tries Conversions Penalt
Adam White Adam White x 2 Adam White
Richard Williams
James Dollery

2nd Team Match Report
CHINNOR seconds move back into top spot in the league with their win against Marlow and the loss Oxford Harlequins suffered at the hands of Windsor.
Tom Woods, Chinnor 2nds, started off the New Year as they finished the last, with a good win against Marlow 2nds 22points to 14.
The team was without their captain due to injury, although he was on the sideline shouting support and abuse.

Marlow put out their strongest team of the season and were really up for game. It was a very physical game played by two good teams giving their all, with some very good attacking and defending play by both teams.

It wasn?t until the 15th minute before Chinnor took the lead after some inspirational play by the forwards, followed by the backs for Richard Williams to score and was converted by Adam White.
It was then the turn of Marlow to draw even in the thirtieth minute with a converted try. However, this was short lived when Chinnor counter-attacked and after some fantastic back line passing, Adam White joined the line from full back to score in the corner.
The first half finished with Chinnor ahead 12 points to 7.

The second half was as hard as the first with the game going back and forth, until the ref missed a blatant knock on. Chinnor stopped for the expected scrum and one of Marlow?s players ran after the ball, picked it up and scored under the posts. Marlow took the lead 14points to 12.
This really fired up the Chinnor boys and it was the turn of James Dollery to break through their backs to score, which was well converted by Adam White and Chinnor went ahead 19 points to 14.

The game was still too close to call, despite Chinnor showing signs of having control, but it took a mistake by Marlow which gave Chinnor a penalty that was converted into points by Adam White and Chinnor finished the game 22 points to 14.
This was a very hard game to have after the Christmas break, but I feel it has really helped Chinnor to get focused for the second half of the season

Walter McGuicken

The first match of the year saw Thame Badminton Mens team entertaining Leys C from Witney. Having beaten Leys away, the selectors decided to play Ben Cooper to give him more experience against a stronger side compared with his Aylesbury league experience.

Chris Charman and Chris Daniels started off their fifth game as the Thame 1st pair against the Leys opening and best pairing. With their contrasting styles complementing each other, Charman and Daniels dominated the game to win easily. The second game saw them easing off and this allowed the Leys pair to make a come back and force setting at 14 all. Switching back on, the Thame pair then won the game and thus the rubber. David Hargrave returned for only his second match of the season to partner Club Chairman Trevor Walker. With both players suffering the effects of recent winter colds, their play was sluggish. The first game saw them miss-timing some of their shots but this did not prevent them from overcoming the Leys 2nd but weakest strength pair. Continuing in this vein of play, they won the rubber by winning the next game. Keith Richards was paired with Ben Cooper but not having played together for 3 months showed. The Leys 3rd pair ran the Thame pair around the court with Richards line judgement out leading to some late decisions on whether to play shots. Losing the first game, the Thame pair realised that they must keep in rallies if they wanted to get the opportunity to win points. This they did and managed to win the second game but they slipped back to lose the final game and the rubber.

The Thame first pair totally dominated the Leys 2nd to win the first game. However, the second game saw Charman and Daniels easing back which allowed the Leys pair to win more points but not enough to prevent Thame winning the rubber. Hargrave and Walker were now loose after their first rubber and this allowed them give the Leys 1st pair a hard and close fought match which was only resolved after the sides had to set. Unfortunately, Thame were on the losing end. Working hard to overcome the effects of the colds as well as the Leys pair, the Thame pair came back to win the next 2 games to claw back the rubber. After a discussion about their play, Richards and Cooper took on the Leys 2nd pair in a rubber, which if won, would give Thame a winning position. With almost everything that was wrong in the first rubber changed, the Thame pair won the first game with relative ease. To the surprise of the on-looking selector, Richards and Cooper then went on the to win the second and final game 15 ? 0.

The final game for the Charman and Daniels combination was against the Leys 3rd pair. As in their rubber against the Leys 2nd pair, Thame won the first game easily. Worryingly, they again took the foot off the accelerator to allow the Leys pair to win more points than they should have been allowed. Nevertheless, this was the 4th time in 5 matches that Charman and Daniels have won all their rubbers. Hargarve and Walker were up against the Leys 3rd pair and by now were visibly tired. The Leys pairing were both young and fit and the Thame pair did well to win the game. However, they were pulled back by the Leys youngsters in the second game and lost. Summoning their last reserves of energy and using their greater experience, the Thame pair was able to win the final game. The final rubber saw Richards and Cooper take on the Leys 1st pair. Their improvement from the start of the match continued as they won the first game. However, the Leys 1st pair quickly saw some weaknesses in the Thame pairing and exploited them to the full to win the second game. Although Richards and Cooper tried hard, they could not regain the dominance they had in the first game and lost the game and rubber.

The Mens team have maintained their unbeaten run and retain their position at the top of their division. Their next match is against Didcot Power against whom Thame had their hardest match of the season.

Chinnor 1 Thame United 3 !! Match Report
THIS eagerly awaited local derby, in the preliminary round of the League Challenge Cup saw the game watched by the largest crowd of the day – 127, with a close encounter anticipated given that Thame United lie 19th in the Hellenic Premier League and Chinnor are in fourth place in the league below.

It was Thame United who started the brightest with a Jordan Weaver shot deflected for a corner on five minutes, and Ben Clarke in the Chinnor goal saving well from Adrian Smith two minutes later. However, it was Chinnor who took the lead on 10 minutes, when leading scorer Gary Marshall collected the ball on the wide right and hit a powerful shot that caught Goalkeeper Paul Searl out of position. Although Searl got a hand to the ball, the shot crept in at the near post.

Thame equalised 10 minutes later when the ever dangerous Nathan Jack hit an unstoppable shot from wide right to beat Clarke low to his left. It was 2-1 to Thame in the 33rd minute when, following good passing between Weaver and Jack, Jack calmly placed the ball beyond the approaching Clarke for his ninth goal of the season. By now Thame were beginning to get the upper hand and following a shot just wide from Nick Gibson in the 35th minute, Thame extended their lead a minute later with young centre back Marc Bell powerfully meeting a Joe Da Silva corner to give Clarke in the Chinnor goal no chance.

With the score 3-1 to Thame at half time, the crowd were looking forward to an entertaining game in the second half. Indeed, it was Chinnor who came out the stronger of the two sides, with Searl doing well to parry a powerful shot in the 50th minute. Five minutes later the Thame centre back Matt Graves was lucky to receive only a yellow card for a heavy challenge. However, in the ensuing fracas former Thame United player and Chinnor chairman, Richard Carr, was sent from the field. He was followed five minutes later by Gary Marshall for a second bookable offence.

This effectively finished the game as a spectacle, with the Thame side content to play possession football and see out the remaining half an hour. Nevertheless, Jack, Weaver, Da Silva and Sion Kitson all went close to extending the lead, with Weaver also having a good claim for a penalty turned down in the 83rd minute.

Team:
Searl, Smith, Watkins, Bell, Graves, Kitson, Connelly, Gibson, Da Silva, Jack, Weaver
Sub (not used): Hocking.

The result sees Thame travel to Rayners Lane in the next round of the Cup on 25th November, before which they have important league games away at Harrow Hill this Saturday and at home to Abingdon Town on 18th November.

The victory against Chinnor was followed by news that Thame United Reserves, who play in Reserve Division 2 of the Hellenic League, had beaten their first division opponents, Didcot Town, 5-2 in the first round of the Chairmans? Challenge Cup, rounding off a winning weekend for Thame United.
4th November 2006

THERE is

ON new year’s day, 2005, Brackley defeated Thame United 5-0. Given the problems that United had in 2005, perhaps it is not surprising that the 2006 fixture, played on Tuesday evening, produced an identical score.

Thame?s young team were simply outclassed by the experienced and well-organised Brackley team. The first goal came after nine minutes when Appleton?s long-range shot was deflected into the bottom corner by a Thame defender. On 34 minutes Brackley were awarded a penalty, after Thame?s Mark Boland was harshly judged to have handled the ball. Paul Searl saved Murphy?s penalty shot, but the referee saw an infringement and ordered a retake. Murphy scored with his second effort. Although Thame had their fair share of possession the teams went in for half time with the Brackley goalkeeper untested.

Brackley?s third came four minutes after the restart when Appleton took advantage of a defensive slip. Murphy netted his second in the 77th minute when he met a cross with a well placed header. Former Thame defender Andy Williams got the 5th with a set piece near-post header from a corner. Thame did create scoring opportunities, particularly in the last 25 minutes. Adam Rhodes and Craig Caldwell-Smith played well and both had chances. Luke Fisher made some inspired runs on the right wing and was unlucky to see at least one goal bound shot blocked. Goalkeeper Paul Searl again made some fine saves, and was chosen as man of the match.

Thame United defeated Brackley 2-0 in last year?s Easter fixture. The teams meet again on Easter Saturday 15th April. Let?s hope Thame can repeat last year?s result.

Thame United: Searl, Bradley, N. Rhodes, Eason, Lane (Connelly), N. Stewart, Fisher, A. Rhodes, Moore, Caldwell-Smith, Boland (Way).

Thame United entertain Leighton Town next Saturday at Buckingham Road Stadium (KO 3.00)

THE Thame United v Paulton Rovers fixture, due to be played at Paulton on December 31, was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Thame meet Brackley Town at Buckingham Road Stadium on Tuesday 3rd Jan (KO 7.45). They are also at home on Saturday 7th January, when Leighton Town are the visitors. (3.00)

Please note that the away fixture with Solihull Borough scheduled for 14th Jan has been postponed, due to Solihull?s cup commitments. Thame do not therefore have a game on that date.

THE match on December 27, was Joint manager Alan Thorne?s first view of the young Thame team for since his appointment.
His partner, and former caretaker manager Richard Searl, fielded the same squad who had drawn 4-4 against Hemel Hempstead, although some defenders were assigned to different positions.

It was a fast moving match played on a very cold afternoon in which there was little to choose between the sides for the first 75 minutes. Thame had the better of the opening exchanges, with both Craig Caldwell-Smith and Darren Moore looking dangerous. The visitors had a good chance after 30 minutes when they were awarded a free kick just outside the area. Moore dummied and Nik Rhodes struck the ball hard but was unlucky to see it clear the crossbar by inches. Marlow gradually fought back and just before half time Paul Searl made an excellent save from Marlow striker Adam Dickins. This was the first of several fine saves that Searl made during the game. The teams went in for half time with the goalless score, which was a fair reflection of possession.

The first half hour of the second half was similar with close chances at both ends. On 62 minutes, Mactaggart, in the Marlow goal, brought off a particularly memorable save from a strong Luke Fisher shot. Towards the end Marlow were gaining the upper hand and were rewarded when on 83 minutes, former Thame player Colin Simpson, who had just come, on, headed a corner home from the near post. United threw everything into attack but this inevitably left defensive gaps. Simpson exploited this by netting his second from 8-yards with 3 minutes remaining.

Overall a disappointing result for United, but Alan and Richard can take encouragement that for long periods of the game, there was little to choose between 5th Placed Marlow and their young, bottom of the league, team.

Marlow 2, Thame United 0

Thame United: Searl, Hocking, N. Rhodes, Eason, Lane (N. Stewart), A. Rhodes, Fisher, Connelly, Moore (Finch), Caldwell-Smith, Boland

CHINNOR fielded a new set of half-backs for this return fixture at Kingsey Road last Saturday, with Matt Buckley and Danny Burns starting the
game.
Chinnor took the lead in the fifth minute when Centre, Sam Soane, powered over the line from 20 metres out. He looked to offload the ball to supporting players on a couple of occasions but with defenders bouncing off him, he made the line himself. With James Hewitt, back from University, taking over
kicking duties slotting the conversion, Chinnor had the start they wanted.
Another Soane try 20 minutes later, an exact replica of the previous score, gave Chinnor a 14 point advantage. With James Hewitt kicking a well
judged penalty this gave the home side a comfortable 17 point lead at half-time – although having said that they did squander a 21 point lead in
their previous game.
Abbey responded well in the first quarter of the second half with tackling of top drawer quality, particularly by Burns and Buckley keeping them at bay. With Pike and Tom Burns twice missing penalty
attempts, Chinnor sealed the game when Buckley, man of the match, broke from open play with the ball going through several pairs of hands before
reaching Eric Brown to score with just 5 minutes left on the clock.
Final Score: Chinnor 22 Reading Abbey 0

THE Thame United v Bromsgrove Rovers fixture that was to be played on Sunday, 18th December has been postponed due to a frozen pitch.
Thame United?s next match is away to Marlow on Tuesday 27th December (3.00 kick off). The following Saturday, December 31st Thame visit Paulton Rovers.