Thame United were in midweek action in the Pitching In Southern League Central Division One, when they visited Yarnton Road, home of Kidlington for this local Oxfordshire derby under the lights. There were a number of changes to the team that played against North Leigh on Saturday as manager Ben Williams rotated his squad. Fin Murray was absent nursing a tight hamstring and Harry Alexander and Braydon Daniel moved to the bench, into the starting eleven came Ethan Lack, Curtis Brown and Josh Stranks. After all the rain over the last few days, this match was the only midweek Southern League Central division One match to survive, with a heavy pitch this was going to be a battle .

It was a fairly even start to the game, both teams having periods of possession without really creating any chances, the home side were content to play the ball around at the back looking for an opening down the wide areas, as the game progressed Thame started to grow into the game and were looking the more threatening, especially out wide with both Tom McElroy and Curtis Brown causing the Kidlington full backs problems. The break through came on 18 minutes, Thame had won a corner on the left side, Jack Tutton floated the ball into the box, Kidlington failed to clear the ball and it bounced around in the six yard box, before Tom McElroy managed to poke the ball over the line. The goal gave the visitors the moment had continued to press forward, creating more chances, with Curtis Brown, Ty Deacon and Tom McElroy all going close. Kidlington had to make an early substitution with Stolbousshkin being replaced by Dennis. Thame doubled their lead on 31 minutes, Curtis Brown using his pace on the right flank to attack the box cut inside and as he was about to pull the trigger when he was brought down just inside the box. The referee pointed to the spot, Ty Deacon picked up the ball and converted low to the keepers right, for his third goal in four matches. The half ended with the visitors looking the more dangerous and creating chances, with the home side although having a lot of possession weren’t troubling Thame's keeper Matty Crowther.

The second half got underway and it started in a similar way to the first, with the home side keeping possession, but playing it around the back and to the keeper, with Thame sitting in deep Kidlington were finding it hard to make any meaningful attacks on goal. Whilst Thame were about to counter attack time and again without really creating any concrete chances. Harry Alexander and Brayden Daniel replaced Tom McElroy and Curtis Brown on 75 minutes, both had worked tirelessly throughout the match, the change gave the visitors some fresh legs to continue to put the home side under pressure in the wide areas. Ty Deacon and Ethan Lack made way for Hayden Beadle and Jefferson Louis on 85 minutes. Thame were content to sit back and nullify the game in the second half and it felt if really needed to they could have stepped up a few more gears, with the home team not registering a shot on target in the second half. It was a comfortable win in the end on a difficult pitch a job well done and 3 points on the road.

Next up is an away trip to Hertfordshire to face Hertford Town on their 3G this Saturday.

Mon of the Match
Dan West

Goals
Tom McElroy 18 minutes
Ty Deacon 31 minutes

Starting Eleven

1.Matty Crowther
2.Josh Stranks
3.Oscar Lucey
4.Jack Tutton
5.Leo Galpin
6.Mark Riddick
7.Tom McElroy (Harry Alexander 75 minutes)
8.Ethan Lack (Hayden Beadle 85 minutes)
9.Ty Deacon (Jefferson Louis 85 minutes)
10.Dan West
11.Curtis Brown (Brayden Daniel 75 minutes)

Substitutes
12.Jefferson Louis
14.Harry Alexander
15.Brayden Daniel
16.Hayden Beadle