It was another home game under the lights as Thame United welcomed Marlow FC to The ASM Stadium in the Pitching In Southern League Central Division One, It was Thame's fifth consecutive home game in all competitions, with just one defeat to Banbury in the FA Trophy in that spell, but after the weekends league fixtures Thame slipped to second from bottom, with Marlow six places and three points better off. Manager Ben Williams had the luxury of picking from a fully fit squad for the first time this season and with the team having to play Saturday / Tuesday for the next 8 weeks made several changes to Saturdays starting line up. Into the starting eleven came Fin Murray, Ethan Lack, Lance Williams and Abu Khan, with Louis Walsh, Jack Tutton, Jenson Wright and Curtis Brown dropping to the bench.

Thame got the game under way, kicking from right to left in the first half, wearing their traditional red and black, with the visitors in blue. Thame dominated the opening 10 minutes of the game and made several incursions into the Marlow penalty area with being able to get a shot away. A free kick awarded on the Marlow right just into the Thame half bought a half chance to the visitors as the ball was floated in it was missed by everyone and went out for a corner. A few minutes later the visitors had the first shot on target after picking the ball up on the centre circle the Marlow number 7 drove at the Thame defence and shot from 30 yards out but it was saved by keeper Pettitt low down to his left. Thames first real chance came on 23 minutes Greg Hackett shot from the left hand side was blocked it fell to Harry Alexander whose shot was over the bar. A few minutes later another run down the left from Hackett lays the ball off to Lance Williams on the edge of the box, his shot took a deflection off of one of the defenders and dribbled through to the keeper.

Another chance fell to Thame on 30 minutes after winning a corner the ball was played to Harry Alexander whose left footed drive from inside the area was saved by the Marlow keeper. Thame were dominating the game and were becoming increasingly frustrated as three times it looked as though they had broken the Marlow defensive line with through balls only for the Assistant Referee to flag for offside. Thame continued to push forward and on 40 minutes won a corner on their right, the ball was crossed into the six yard box, where Lance Williams rose above everyone and headed the ball goal bound only for it to be cleared off the line by the full back. But Thame retained possession and forced a throw in on the left hand side by the corner flag, Callum Hall launched a long throw into the box. The home side had loaded six players all inside the six yard box, as the ball came in it was half cleared to Mark Riddick on the penalty spot, his shot hit the arms of a Marlow defender which were raised. The referee had no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot. Harry Alexander stepped up to send the keeper the wrong way and placing to ball in the bottom right hand corner. 42 minutes and Thame had taken the lead no more than they deserved and the the confidence grew with the pressure taken off and as the game ticked into added time Thame scored a second. They won possession in the middle of the Marlow half some neat play found Harry Alexander with the ball just outside the area, he played a great ball to the feat on Dan West just inside the box, he turned a placed the ball past the keeper into the left hand side of the net and good finish and Dans first of the season. That was the last action of the first half with Thame deservedly 2 - 0 in the lead.

Marlow got the second half underway and had the first chance of the half, a break into the box from the right winger saw his shot creep wide of the far post. At the other end a long ball into the box was just missed by Greg Hackett as he ran in on goal and the ball went out for a goal kick. Thame made there first substitute on 50 minutes with Curtis Brown replacing Greg Hacket who had taken a slight knock, and was straight into the action, picking the ball on the left driving into the box, cutting back and getting a shot off which was deflected out for a corner. The home side made it three on 56 minutes Callum Hall played a long ball over the top of the Marlow defence on the left hand side Lance Williams picked it up played to back to Curtis Brown, who launch a long cross into the box and found Mark Riddick who stooped at the back post to head the ball into the net.

Jenson Wright replaced Harry Alexander on 70 minutes and Marlow fought back and had their best spell in the match and on 75 minutes won a penalty after a good move playing the number 11 in behind the right full back, his cross went across the face of the goal and as the ball was about to reach the winger coming in from the left hand side, he was bought down, no question about the penalty. The number nine stepped up and placed the ball to the keeper Pettitt's right, who made a great diving save to keep the score at 3 - 0. Ty Njogu, Jack Tutton and Louise Walsh replaced Ethan Lack, Lance Williams and Dan West for the final ten minutes with Thame comfortable and the visitors trying to get back into the game but were having very little impact in the final third. Thame had a forth goal on 82 minutes after winning a corner on their right the ball was played in by Jenson Wright, the ball was headed up in the air and as it came down Captain Mark Riddick met the ball with a left footed shot about 10 yards out, as it headed goal wards it was deflected by Louis Walsh wrong footing the keeper and nestling in the back of the net. There was one more chance for Thame Louis Walsh picking the ball up outside the area and his low drive was tipped behind by the keeper for a corner. With only three minutes of added time the home side easily saw out the game a posted their biggest win of the season with a dominant display and never really looked under threat.

Next up is another home game as London Lions are the visitors to the ASM this Saturday for the first ever competitive match between the two teams.

Goals
Harry Alexander (41 minutes Penalty)
Dan West (45+2 minutes)
Mark Riddick (56 minutes)
Louis Walsh (83 minutes)

Starting Eleven

1 Jonny Pettitt
2 Callum Foday Hall
3 Abu Khan
4 Fin Murray
5 Luke Tingey
6 Mark Riddick (Captain)
7 Greg Hackett (Curtis Brown 50 minutes)
8 Ethan Lack (Ty Njogu 79 minutes)
9 Lance Williams (Jack Tutton 82 minutes)
10 Dan West (Louis Walsh (82 minutes)
11 Harry Alexander (Jenson Wright 70 minutes)

Substitutes

12 Louis Walsh
14 Tyrae Njogu
15 Jenson Wright
16 Jack Tutton
17 Curtis Brown

Attendance 110