The only changes from the side that had beaten Aylesbury FC the previous week saw Tom Carter come in to partner Andy Gledhill in the centre of defence, with Harry Mepham at right back. The game opened with the visitors enjoying plenty of possession – a pattern that continued throughout the match – with Craig Hill doing well on 7 minutes to push a shot from Ebby Nelson-Addy for a corner. The first opportunity for Thame came on 12 minutes when Dan West found himself in space 25 yards from goal and struck an effort just wide of the upright. On 21 minutes Hill kept United in the game with a tremendous save from Paul Benson header, before then blocking an effort from Nelson-Addy.

United then made a change as the injured Harry Scott was replaced by Duran Martin, before a pivotal sixty seconds changed the shape of the game. Firstly, United failed to clear and Benson found himself in space 8 yards from goal, dinking the ball over Hill. However, skipper Ben Sturgess somehow managed to get back and cleared the ball off the line with his head. United then went straight down the other end and earned a free kick 25 yards from goal and on the right edge of the penalty area. Left back David Lynn stepped-up and curled the ball delightfully over Cooper and in to the roof of the net to give the hosts the lead. The visitors looked to respond before half-time and the closest they came was a Nelson-Addy free-kick that was pushed away by Hill.

The second half opened with the visitors still enjoying the majority of possession, but with United looking more and more threatening on the break, with the pace and movement of Lynton Goss and West causing problems. Indeed, on 54 minutes Goss went on a strong run down the right getting to the bye-line before seeing his effort go in to the side netting. Bedford continued to get balls in to the Thame penalty area but these were generally well defended before, on 61 minutes a long ball down the Thame left found West in space and his shot from an acute angle just inside the box was pushed away by Cooper before being cleared.

Hill then comfortably dealt with a couple of efforts from distance before United extended their lead on 67 minutes. A long ball from Lynn sent Goss racing through down the left, he then collected the ball at the bye-line before rolling back to West who, in the centre of the goal and just inside the box side-footed in to the bottom corner wide of Cooper.

The expected pressure from Bedford continued, but United maintained their shape and gave the visitors very little space in the final third. However, the visitors got a goal back on 84 minutes when Brett Longden crossed and Benson headed in to the top corner, wide of Hill. The visitors pressed for an equaliser without really troubling Hill before, on 95 minutes a cross back in to the box was headed down and finished by Benson, only for the Assistant Referee to flag for off-side.

That was the last of the action and United took another valuable three points and a win that lifts them in to the play-off places.

Next-up if the visit of AFC Dunstable on Tuesday evening for another league game.

United:

Hill, Mepham, Lynn, Carter, Gledhill, Ashworth, Tack, L Goss, Sturgess (Cullen), West, Scott (Martin (Murray))