Craig Hill, unavailable last week due to work commitments, returned in goal in an otherwise unchanged side from that which had beaten Cambridge City last weekend. Recent signing from North Leigh, Jack Tutton, was on the bench alongside Aaron Jewell and eventual match winner, Duran Martin.

United, playing uphill in the first half, got off to a slow start with the home side putting the visitors under some early pressure - largely down the left hand side where Noah Alabi was particularly effective for North Leigh. Hill was forced in to an early save on two minutes before, after quarter of an hour, the home side ought to have taken the lead. George Seacole found space in the Thame box but fired his shot straight at Hill before the ball rebounded back to Seacole, this time only 8 yards from goal, but he somehow managed to strike the ball wide of the target. It was a let off for United, who nearly took the lead moments later with their first real attack of the match.

A ball over the top resulted in Lynton Goss out pacing Andy Gunn and as the North Leigh keeper, Eddie Cavanagh, came out to block, Goss poked the ball between his legs and goalwards before the retreating Gunn was able to clear off the line. The attack gave United some attacking impetus and, on 23 minutes, a free kick in to the North Leigh box was headed just wide by Gledhill. A United effort then cleared the bar before the home side had a couple of good opportunities from the wide right that went across the face of goal, but wide of the target. United had the final chance of the half when a ball in to box fell to Matt Peake-Pijnen whose effort was blocked by a last ditch tackle.

Playing with the slope in the second half, United started strongly and, in the opening minutes West struck a free kick from 25 yards over the bar. Hill was then called in to action, tipping an effort from Seacole over the bar before, on 65 minutes the home side took the lead. A deep cross from the right was met by the head of Seacole who placed the ball wide of Hill and in to the far corner.

The goal stirred United in to action and ten minutes later they had a great opportunity to equalise when the ball fell to Gledhill eight yards from goal, but Cavanagh guessed right to push the shot wide for a corner. The equaliser eventually arrived in the 82nd minute when West was fouled 25 yards from goal and Peake-Pijnen stepped forward to curl a delightful free kick towards the top corner that Cavanagh could only push on to the post and in to the back of the net. The equaliser transformed the game, and from then it looked like if there was going to be a winner, it was going to come from the away side. That duly arrived in the 86th minute when a swift counter-attack resulted in Goss playing a through ball to substitute Duran Martin on the wide left. Martin still had worked to do, but when a clever run from West drew defenders away and a neat side-step created space, Martin hit an efforts across Cavanagh and in off the far post.

The goal sparked celebrations and although there was the best part of ten minutes still to play, United executed their game management perfectly for the remainder of the game, keeping hold of the ball in the corners and not letting the home side out of their own half.

The win keeps United fourth ahead of another local derby on Saturday when play off contenders Didcot Town are the visitors to the ASM Stadium.

United:
Hill, Mepham, Lynn, Essex, Gledhill, Ashworth (Tutton), Tack (Martin), Goss, Sturgess, West, Peake-Pijnen.

(Photo courtesy of Ric Mellis)