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Barton Rovers   1   Thame United   1

Barton Rovers 1 Thame United 1

Jake Collinge16 Nov 2017 - 22:52
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https://www.thamefootball.co.u

For the second league game in succession, United conceded an injury time equaliser, turning a potential victory in to what felt like a defeat.

With James McGowan and Luke Ricketts unavailable, Ben Connelly and Calvin Evans came in to the side and, after a fairly even opening ten minutes, United – who were playing down the slope in the first half – started to take control. In the 11th minute a good run by Lynton Goss resulted in a cross that Dan West met only to see his effort crash against the bar before being cleared to safety. Two minutes later and the same combination this time resulted in a West effort clearing the bar.

With United enjoying both possession and territory, the next opportunity came on 17 minutes with David Lynn finding West on the edge of the box whose instant flick in to the path of Goss was cut-out for a corner, which was eventually cleared by the home side. Shortly afterwards Goss and West both had efforts cleared, before Goss found the back of the net only to be denied by the referee’s whistle.

The goal that had been coming eventually arrived on 23 minutes. Harry Mepham, playing wide on the left, fed the ball through to Goss who, in turn, slid the ball to West who confidently placed the ball wide of the home keeper from 12 yards. It could have been two a minute later when a Goss effort was saved, but Tom Ashworth could only steer his follow-up effort over the bar from six yards. And still United kept going. On 26 minutes Goss delivered a corner from the right that was met by West and, for the second time, his effort crashed against the bar.

It had, at this point, been twenty minutes of one-way traffic, but gradually the home side started to get back in to the game. Even then, West and Goss combined again on 37 minutes, with the latter cutting inside and forcing the keeper to make a fine save. However, in the closing stages of the half United were indebted to Craig Hill who pulled off two good saves to maintain the lead.

The second half started slowly, albeit Goss twice went close to extending the lead, before the home side started to build pressure, using the heavy, sloping pitch to their advantage. However, despite the possession, Hill was rarely troubled and with ten minutes to go, Goss was denied by another fine save, before the resulting corner was headed wide by Ellis Hercules.

Unfortunately, however, United could not hold on and, in the 93rd minute, the ball broke to the Barton left where Ashworth was adjudged to have fouled the attacker on the edge of the box. The resultant free kick from Phillips was flicked over the wall and in to the top corner despite the best efforts of Hill in the Thame goal.

It was, it has to be said, an unjust result on the balance of play and chances, but football can be a cruel game, and United will have the opportunity to pick themselves up and go again when Uxbridge are the visitors on Saturday.

United:

Hill, Evans, Lynn, Hercules, Harrison, Ashworth, Connelly, Goss, Sturgess, West (Gray), Mepham

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