It was fourth vs fifth at the ASM Stadium as Thame United Welcomed Biggleswade Town in the Pitching In Southern League Central Division One in the penultimate weekend of the season. The teams were separated by four points with Thame three points clear of Hertford Town in six place, so there was lot at stake with three points a must for the home side. After the disappointment of last Saturdays defeat at Welwyn manager Ben Williams made a number of changes to the starting line up, back in goal after injury was Matty Crowther, Ethan Lack was in at right back with Dan West moving to centre back and Greg Hacket starting on the left wing, Luke Tingey and Lance Williams moved to the bench. Biggleswade won the toss and turned the teams around asking Thame to kick towards the ring road end and into the sun in the first half.

It was the perfect start from the home side putting the visitors under pressure straight away firstly winning a corner from the Thame right, which was cleared, the ball came back in and a shot from Louis Walsh was deflected out for a corner on the left hand side, Jack Tutton, deliver the ball to the front post where Dan West met the ball with a stooping header to put Thame ahead after just two minutes. It got even better two minutes later, after the Ethan Lack broke from within his own half and played in Harry Alexander on the right his cross was missed by the visitors number 5 and was met by Louis Walsh running in at the far post to fire the ball into the roof of the net, four minutes gone and a dream start for the home side. Thame had another chance on eight minutes a long throw from Callum Hall on the right was flicked on and met by Louis Walsh but his volley was over the bar. Biggleswade’s first attempt cam on twenty minutes after winning a corner on the left the ball was met at the far post but the header was high and wide. Greg Hackett went into the referees book on twenty seven minutes, which seemed a harsh decision after a tackle on one of the Biggleswade players.

Thame were so dominant and should have made it three on thirty seven minutes, Jack Tutton picked the ball up in the centre circle and played a delightful ball over the Biggleswade right full back for Greg Hackett who picked up the ball ran at the visitors goal and from the just inside the box fired a right footed shot which beat the goalkeeper and cannoned off of the right hand post and away to safety. Thame scored their third goal on thirty nine minutes, this time a root one ball from Fin Murray straight down the middle of the park was missed by the Biggleswade number 5 allowing Louis Walsh to pick the ball up run in on goal and place his shot past the advancing keeper into the left hand side of the net. That goal triggered a substitution for the visitors with the number 5 Hedley Ogbebor being taken off and replaced with Daniel Newton The home side were winning everything in midfield and on forty one minutes another interception saw Harry Alexander pick up the ball in the middle of the park, he played in Louis Walsh on the left hand side, his shot was saved by the keeper, the ball fell to Ethan Lack on the edge of the box, his shot was also saved and the ball cleared. Thame thought they had a fourth just before half time when a free kick from the right hand side near the goal line was headed back towards goal and Fin Murray who was running in flicked the ball into the net from inside the six yard box, unfortunately he had just strayed offside and the Assistant Referee flagged for offside. The half ended with the home side three goals to the good and well worth the lead, with Biggleswade limited to one shot off target.

The second half got underway with the visitors making three substitutes in an attempt to turn their fortunes around. But it was the home side that continued to dominate play, winning a free kick just outside the box on fifty seven minutes, Jack Tuttons shot hit the wall, and was cleared out for throw in which was played to Brayden Daniel, his run was stopped abruptly on the right hand edge of the box and another free kick awarded to Thame, Harry Alexander free kick was met at the far post by Captain Mark Riddick, but he couldn't direct his header goal bound and the ball went out for a goal kick. It was Alexander's turn next to threaten the visitors goal, Greg Hackett winning the ball in midfield and playing in the number 11 on the left hand side, he took a touch and from the eighteen yard line fired a shot over the bar, the visitors then made their final substitute on fifty nine minutes. On a rare incursion into the Thame box, Biggleswade launched a long ball into the right hand side of the Thame area, but good defending from Fin Murray who put the number 9 under pressure and his header looped out wide for a goal kick. Thame made there first substitute on seventy two minutes, with a like for like swap, Curtis Brown replacing Greg Hackett who had picked up a slight knock.

The visitors finally started to threatened the Thame goal, with ten minutes to play, there quick attempts on the Thame goal were blocked before keeper Matty Crowther had to make his first save of the match on eighty four minutes after a long ball found the left winger who beat one of the defenders, and shot from just inside the left hand side of the box. It was a double substitute for the home side with Abu Khan and Lance Williams replacing Brayden Daniel and two goal Louis Walsh. The day went from bad to worse for Biggleswade with their number 20 shown a straight red card, after a Them free kick from a Biggleswade corner as the players walked back the player seemed to have raised his hand and pushed the referee away. Thame had the final chance of the match two minutes into the four added minutes the visitors keeper making a poor clearance giving the ball to Harry Alexander in the middle of the park, but his attempted lob fell short and the keeper saved.

In the end the home side comfortably saw out the game and a well deserved victory and the double over Biggleswade this season, with every player putting in a shift and limiting the opposition to one shot on target, the win means the play off spots are in Thame’s hand, three points ahead of Hertford, needing a point from their final game away against Hitchin Town next Saturday.

Goals
Dan West (2 minutes)
Louis Walsh (4, 38 minutes)

Starting Eleven

1 Matty Crowther
2 Callum Hall
3 Ethan Lack
4 Fin Murray
5 Brayden Daniel (Abu Khan 82 minutes)
6 Mark Riddick (C)
7 Greg Hackett (Curtis Brown 72 minutes)
8 Jack Tutton
9 Louis Walsh (Lance Williams 82 minutes)
10 Dan West
11 Harry Alexander

Substitutes

12 Curtis Brown
14 Abu Khan
15 Lance Williams
16 Charlie Stow
20 Luke Tingey

Attendance 167