It was Isuzu FA Trophy action and an Oxfordshire derby for Thame United as they welcomed Banbury United to The ASM Stadium for the third qualifying round of the FA Trophy, Thame had beaten Moneyfields and Winchester City to get to this stage, while it was step three Banbury’s first match in the competition. Manager Ben Williams made two changes from the side that drew 2 - 2 against AFC Dunstable in midweek, with Greg Hackett and Jack Tutton replacing Ty Njugo and Abu Khan who moved to the bench, there was also a welcome return for Fin Murray who returned to the bench after recovering from an ankle injury.

Banbury got the game underway, kicking from right to left into a strong wind gusting from one goal to the other. The visitors took the lead on 8 minutes with the first attempt on goal from either team, after winning a free kick midway into the Thame half on the right hand side. The ball was played into the area and headed out to a Banbury player on the edge of the box, his shot found the number 5 just outside the six yard box, unmarked he turned and fired the ball past keeper Pettitt, there was a strong appeal for off side and it looked a very marginal decision, but the goal stood. Thames first shot on goal came on 15 minutes a long range effort from Harry Alexander on the right hand side being pushed out for a corner by the Banbury keeper. 25 minutes in keeper Pettitt was forced to make a good save to his right as a break on the left hand side by the Banbury winger cut the ball back and the shot from the edge of the area was put out for a corner. The delivery into the box was cleared for another corner on the other side, which was delivered under the Thame cross bar keeper Pettitt half cleared and the shot came in but was saved. There was little action in either goal mouth and that summed up the first half which ended with Banbury 1 - 0 to the good, and Thame struggling to find any rhythm in front of goal with the Banbury goalkeeper largely untroubled.

The second half got under way and Thames best chance of the match fell a few minutes after the restart, Louis Walsh picking up the ball on the left and playing the ball into the box, the clearance only fell to Harry Alexander 12 yards out he cut in side and fired a right footed shot low to the keepers right, and it looked very much like the keeper had got down to push the ball out for a corner, but the referee gave a goal kick, somewhat to the puzzlement of the Thame players. At the other end moments later Banbury headed over the bar from a free kick won on the left. Thame made a double substitute on 60 minutes, with Abu Khan and Ethan Lack replacing Louis Walsh and Harry Alexander, Khan slotting in at left back moving Curtis Brown up front. Thame conceded the second goal on 76 minutes, A Thame goal kick was won in the air on the half way line, a flick on found a Banbury player who knocked the ball past the Thame defence and ran into the box his shot was blocked out to the edge of the area, only falling to a Banbury player whose shot was deflected out to the unmarked winger inside the six yard box and he slotted the ball home.

Ty Njugo and Lance Williams replaced Jack Tutton and Jenson Wright on 77 minutes, It could have been three a few minutes later Banbury picking the ball up and breaking into the area the shot was deflected and as the number 9 ran onto the ball it was claimed by keeper Pettit, with big shouts for a penalty as the number 9 went down under the challenge, but the referee waived the appeal away. Thame made their final sub with Fin Murray replacing Curtis Brown and switching to a back three for the remaining 13 minutes of the game. Callum Hall hit the post with a few minutes left but he was flagged off side and that was about as close as it got for Thame, not a great game of football, and Thame will feel disappointed with the performance creating very little in front of goal and allowed the visitors to have a fairly troubled free path into the first round proper.

Next up for Thame is league action on Tuesday night as Marlow are the visitors to The ASM Stadium.

Starting Eleven

1 Jonny Pettitt
2 Callum Foday Hall
3 Curtis Brown (Fin Murray 77 minutes
4 Jack Tutton (Ty Njogu 72 minutes)
5 Luke Tingey
6 Mark Riddick (Captain)
7 Louis Walsh (Abu Khan 60 minutes)
8 Jenson Wright (Lance Williams 72 minutes)
9 Greg Hackett
10 Dan West
11 Harry Alexander (Ethan Lack 60 minutes)

Substitutes

12 Lance Williams
14 Abu Khan
15 Tyrae Njogu
16 Ethan Lack
17 Fin Murray

Attendance 190