Thame United were back in action at the ASM Stadium for only the second time in December after three successful away games when they welcomed Leverstock Green in the Pitching in Southern League Division One Central. This was the reverse game form the early meeting in August which Leverstock won with a 97 minute winner from the penalty spot. Manager Ben Williams match day squad was depleted going into the game with Greg Hackett and Luca Perrin missing through injury and Lance Williams unavailable, into the squad came Ashley Moakes, with three changes to the starting eleven from the last outing against Marlow Abu Khan and Luke Tingey returning and there was a welcome return to keeper Matty Crowther who had recovered from injury picked in the the FA Trophy win against Winchester back in September. The absentees meant there were only three substitutes for the home side.

There was a slight delay to kick off as the away keeper had to change kit as he was in the same colour as the Thame keeper. Leverstock got the game underway kicking from right to left in the first half with a strong wind behind them. On a bitter cold day, it was the visitors who started the game on the front foot, with two early chances one saved and one blocked, Thame's first chance fell to Harry Alexander after a throw was flicked on but his shot was over the bar then on 12 minutes a corner from the left was met by Fin Murray who's header was straight at the keeper with a comfortable save. Minutes later the visitors should have taken the lead, a route one ball over the top of the Thame central defence was met by the visitors number 18, but as keeper Matty Crowther advance to the 18 yard line the chip was just wide of the left hand upright. The home side were looking somewhat lethargic and struggling defensively with the visitors looking more likely to open the scoring and had further chances coming in quick succession another blocked shot was followed by a good save from keeper Matty Crowther. It wasn't until the 30th minute until the home side had another chance with a shot from Curtis Brown going wide of the right hand post from the edge of the D.

Then against the run of play Thame took the lead on 32 minutes, Louis Walsh picking the ball up in a central position just outside the box beating a defender and curling a right footed shot past the keeper into the right hand side of the goal. Moments later it could have been two a deep cross from the right had side was met by an unmarked Dan West at the far post but his header was wide. The visitors were still looking dangerous and had a shot on target blocked after a long throw into the box, was half cleared to the edge of the box. There was an early set back for Leverstock with the number 10 Mitchel- Gears having to be replaced, by debutant 41 Madu after picking up and injury. The last chance of the half fell to Curtis Brown, who had made a number of dangerous runs on the left wing, with a few minutes to go until the end he broke into the box a good tackle came in but the Thame winger got up and managed to get his shot away but the keeper made a comfortable save. The half ended with the home side 1 - 0 to the good but with the visitors still in the game.

The second half got underway and it was the home side that started on the front foot, with an early chance for Harry Alexander, after winning a free kick on the left hand side, the ball was played in and headed out falling to Alexander on the edge of the box but his volley was well over the bar. Thame doubled their lead on 52 minutes, with the ball being played out to Harry Alexander on the left wing, he played a ball inside to Ethan Lack just out side the edge of the left had side of the box he took a touch and curled a beautiful left footed shot into the the left hand side of the goal with the keeper having no chance. Thame then won two corners in quick succession and from the second one the ball was cleared and fell to Louis Walsh whose cross was met by Fin Murray with his header going just wide.

There was a moment of controversy on 61 minutes, when the Leverstock number 7, was played in on the left and was one on one with right back Abu Khan who had had a good game against arguably their best player, as he ran into the box with the keeper advancing and went down under the challenge from the the right back. The referee blew for a free kick to Thame and booked the Levertock player for diving much to the annoyance of the Leverstock bench. Thame then had another chance with Dan West being tripped on the edge of the box in a central position, he got up to take the free kick which was saved by the keeper diving to his left. Thame made it three on 69 minutes, Ethan Lack picked up the ball on the right hand touch line midway into the visitors half and played a delightful ball between the full back and centre back for Harry Alexander to run onto he controlled the ball into the box then curled the ball into the left hand side of the goal past the keeper, the away sides defence were unhappy calling for off side but it look as though the Thame winger had time his run to perfection.

Charlie Stow replaced Curtis Brown on 70 minutes and a few minutes later Jack Tutton came on for Dan West. Leverstock’s leading scorer number 9 Jeffery Sekyere then had a rare attempt with a long range shot going way wide. The Thame Centre backs Luke Tingey and Fin Murray had done a good job all afternoon keeping the number 9 quite especially with sixteen goals to his name this season, there was another chance moments later when a cross from the right was headed well over and wide of the goal. Thame made their final substitution on 82 minutes with Ashley Moakes making his senior team league debut, shortly after he had a chance to make in four, after playing a one two with Louis Walsh and picking the ball up in the right hand side of the box, but his first time shot was into the side netting. The visitors won a corner on 87 minutes and as the ball was cleared a shot came in from 30 yards but it was well wide of the goal. The referee added four minutes to the end of the half and with Charlie Stow creating a couple of chances which were both saved, but it was Jack Tutton who put the icing on the cake in the final minute picking the ball up on the left hand side on the edge of the box, dribbling past two defenders and slotting his shot past the keeper to make it four, on the second half performance not more than the home side deserved after a less than impressive first half. The victory takes Thame up to eighth place in the table and unbeaten in December, while Leverstock slip into the relegation zone after Northwoods win at Rayners Lane.

Goals

Louis Walsh(32 minutes)
Ethan Lack (52 minutes)
Harry Alexander (69 minutes)
Jack Tutton (93 minutes)

Starting Eleven

1 Matty Crowther
2 Callum Hall
3 Abu Khan
4 Fin Murray
5 Luke Tingey
6 Mark Riddick
7 Ethan Lack
8 Curtis Brown (Charlie Stow 70 minutes)
9 Louis Walsh
10 Dan West (Jack Tutton 79 minutes)
11 Harry Alexander (Ashley Moakes 82 minutes)

Substitutes

12 Charlie Stow
14 Jack Tutton
15 Ashley Moakes