It was fourth vs Sixth place in the Pitching In Southern League Central Division one, as Thame United welcomed Hadley FC to The ASM Stadium, in what was a crucial match in the race for the play offs. It was a glorious day for football the sun was out and not a cloud in the sky and the pitch was in excellent condition and a credit to the ground staff. Manager Ben Williams made a number of changes from the side who beat Kidlington on Tuesday night, Ty Deacon, Lewis Thorne, Greg Hackett and Jack Tutton came into the starting line up, with Jefferson Louis, Josh Stranks, Tom McElroy and Ethan Lack dropping to the bench.

Hadley won the toss and chose to kick from left to right with the advantage of the sun behind them in the first half, with Thame kicking off. What was to follow was a breathless 96 minutes, that wasn’t for the faint hearted, very entertaining for the neutral, but for both Thame and Hadley fans it was about to be a roller coaster of an afternoon. Straight from the start Thame had a couple of half chances, with Brayden Daniel looking dangerous on the left flank, however blink and you missed what happened next, Hadley won the ball back in their half broke, the ball worked its way out to the right Alfieri picks the ball up in the box, and cuts it back to Jessop who fired past keeper Crowther, and element of poor defending and all two easy, 3 minutes gone and 1 - 0 to the visitors. Thame restarted and immiediatly lost the ball in the Hadley half, Number 10 McGettigan picked the ball up and ran at the Thame defence, beating a number of Thame players and cooly finished from inside the box, 4 minutes gone and Thame were loosing 2 - 0, questionable defending for both goals and already a mountain to climb. Thame rallied with a couple of corners but didn't threaten the Hadley goal, the visitors then won two successive free kicks the second resulting in a corner which was cleared at the near post. The home side had settled down after the shock of going 2 - 0 down so quickly and had their first chance on 20 minutes, with Dan West shot from the edge of the box going over the bar. But against the run of play it was the visitors that extended their lead after winning the ball on the left, the cross came in and the Hadley top scorer Isaacs was first to meet the ball and slot home the third, three chances for Hadley and 3 goals. Thame had an opportunity to pull one back on 26 minutes from a corner Mark Riddick rose first to the ball but his header was over the bar from six yards out.

The home side were forced to make and early substitution on 33 minutes when Dan West went down in a challenge and had to be replaced by Ethan Lack. It had been a tough opening half for the home side, but fortunes were about to change, on 35 minutes a long ball into the Hadley half was flicked on by Ty Deacon, Greg Hackett picked the ball up and drove into he box on the right hand side, he went down under a challenge and the referee pointed to the spot. Ty Deacon picked the ball up but was made to wait by the visitors protests, and from the home team who were expecting a card of some sort, with nothing given. He finally placed the ball and his shot sent the keeper the wrong way nestling in the left hand corner of the box. Hadley then had a chance go three goals clear again but a long range shot was well saved by keeper Crowther turning the ball out for a corner. As the clocked ticked towards the half time whistle there was still time for some controversy, Thame won a corner on the right hand side, when the ball looked to have gone out off of a Thame player. There were lots of protests from the Hadley players with the referee brandishing a yellow card for dissent. From the resulting corner Leo Galpins header was saved by the Hadley keeper but only pushed the ball out into a dangerous area and it fell to Captain Mark Riddick who half volleyed the ball back into the roof of the net. And that was the end of the first half action, apart from the Hadley manager going in the referees book for dissent as they walked off the pitch. Thame had done well to come back into the game after going three goals down.

The second half started with the home side fired up and almost immiedialty had an equaliser a cross from Brayden Daniel was met by Ty Deacon who controlled the ball turned and shot, only for the visitors keeper to make a really good save pushing the ball out for a corner, which resulted in a Greg Hackett header being cleared off the line. Its fair to say the home side were on top and putting the visitors under pressure, and deservedly on 50 minutes had the equaliser, Oscar Lucey played in Jack Tutton on the left had side his cross, was superbly met by Ty Deacon out jumping the Hadley defence to head past the keeper. The home side were on top, Jack Tutton went close with a shot just wide of the post with the keeper beaten. Thame deservedly took the lead on 67 minutes, Thame won a corner on the left with a well worked set piece and the ball being crossed in by Brayden Daniel to be met in the box by Fin Murray who volleys the ball into the net, It was an unbelievable turnaround as Thame took the lead. But Hadley weren’t done yet and came fighting back, making a triple change and were forcing Thame back and were awarded a controversial penalty on 80 minutes when substitute Effra was adjudged to have been brought down in the box, the referee pointed to the spot, it looked a soft decision, with the Thame players unhappy, but the kick was converted to bring the scores level.

Thame made their final substitute with Curtis Brown replacing Greg Hackett, It was a frantic final ten minutes with both teams pushing for the winning goal, and both teams putting all on the line to defend their own goal. The referee signalled 6 minutes of added time, with neither side able to create that final chance and the game ended with the scores tied 4 - 4, a great advert for non league football, both teams had battled for 90 plus minutes and on reflection a fair result in the end, whilst off the field there was a great vocal battle with both sets of fans behind the goal giving it their all and singing their hearts out.

Man of the Match
The twelfth men behind the goal, great sing off with the Hadley fans.

Goals
Ty Deacon (36 minutes Penalty)
Mark Riddick (46 minutes)
Ty Deacon (50 Minutes
Fin Murray (67 minutes)

Starting Eleven

1.Matty Crowther
2.Lewis Thorn
3.Oscar Lucey
4.Leo Galpin
5.Fin Murray
6.Mark Riddick
7.Greg Hacket (Curtis Brown 78 minutes)
8.Jack Tutton
9.Ty Deacon
10.Dan West (Ethan Lack 33 minutes)
11.Brayden Daniel

Substitutes
12.Jefferson Louis
14.Ethan Lack
15.Curtis Brown
16.Tom McElroy
17.Josh Stranks

Attendance 101