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Thame United    2    Aylesbury United   1

Thame United 2 Aylesbury United 1

Jake Collinge26 Dec 2018 - 22:35
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A late Dan West goal gave United a 2-1 derby day victory on Boxing Day and, in the process, secured their first double of the season.

Manager Mark West made some changes from the side beaten at Berkhamsted on Saturday, with Craig Hill returning in goal, Harry Mepham coming in at right back, and Duran Martin taking his place on the wide left.

United started the brighter of the two sides, winning a number of corners in the opening minutes. From one of these Lynton Goss crossed for Liam Tack who met the ball with a powerful header that was tipped over the bar by former United Youth Team goalkeeper, Archie Davis. Then, on 17 minutes, a Tack cross was met by the head of Dan West and Davis again pulled off a fine save.

Despite the chances, it was the visitors who took the lead on 19 minutes when a ball in to the box was laid off to Tre Mitford by Harry Jones, and Mitford curled the ball in to the far corner, wide of Hill. Shortly afterwards, a free kick from 25 yards was struck by Matt Peake-Pijnen through the Thame wall with Hill gathering well. The equaliser arrived for United on 29 minutes when Goss out-muscled Jack Wood and, on approaching the penalty areas, squared the ball to West who, in space on the edge of the box, took his time before drilling the ball in to the roof of the net.

The visitors then almost immediately regained the lead when a long ball found Aghadiuno through on goal who rounded Hill before pushing his shot goalwards from a narrow angle only for the retreating Mepham to clear the ball off the line via the goal post. Goss then went close for United, putting an effort wide on 31 minutes before West then headed over. Then, with the last meaningful action of the half, Ben Sturgess saw an effort from 20 yards clear the bar,

United started the second half as they had the first with, in the opening minute, West securing a free kick 25 yards from goal. West brushed himself down to strike the free kick towards the top corner before Davis acrobatically pushed the ball over for a corner. Five minutes in to the half and Duran Martin saw an effort from 20 yards get a slight deflection off an Aylesbury defender before going a yard wide of the goal. Tack then saw an effort saved as United continued to build the pressure. However, the visitors were not without threatening moments of their own with, in particular, Hill doing well to push a goal bound half volley from Ben Seaton over the bar on 61 minutes.

Goss then won the ball off Mapley on 64 minutes and went on a typical direct run that saw him find space in the Aylesbury box before driving a shot goalwards that deflected off Wood for a corner. Tack then saw an effort saved by Davis before, on 75 minutes, United put together the move of the match, working the ball out wide to Goss who delivered a perfect cross for West whose shot went agonisingly wide of the far post.

United were then nearly caught out five minutes from time when a cross from Peake-Pijnen was met by Greg Williams at the near post but his header went just wide. As it was, it was United who were to take the points when, in the 87th minute, Goss found space on the wide right and delivered a hanging-cross that was met by the head of West at the far post to give Davis no chance.

The final few moments of the match saw United keeping the ball well and limiting possession for the visitors.

The win sees United move up to sixth in the table, with the visit of Sutton Coldfield Town to come on Saturday.

United:

Hill, Mepham, Lynn, Essex, Murray, Ashworth, Tack, L Goss, Sturgess, West, Martin (A Goss)

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