Thame United were back at home for the first time in nearly three weeks as they welcomed Rayners Lane to the ASM Stadium in the Pitching In Southern League Central Division One. When the two teams met earlier in the season at Tithe Farm Sports Ground in Harrow on a miserable day with torrential rain falling for the entire game Thame came away with a 4 - 1 victory with two goals each for Louis Walsh and Greg Hackett, Rayners had had a tough season both on and off the pitch with a new management team and new squad of players since the last meeting. And coming into this game found themselves second from bottom and defeat today would see them relegated to step five. Manager Ben Williams kept the same team that forced a draw at near neighbours Aylesbury United on Wednesday night, with Fin Murray still missing due to concussion protocols.

There was a bizarre start to the game with Rayners only having ten men to start the game, and the game kicked off with Rayners kicking towards the ring road end into the sun, with an empty bench as both their manager and coach were in the starting line up. With a couple of minutes gone two more players turned up and meant the visitors had a full starting eleven and one substitute. Although the odds were heavily stacked in the home sides favour it turned out to be a less than comfortable afternoon with a 90th minute winning helping the home side to secure another three points.

Thame started the game strongly dominating possession, the first shot on target coming on four minutes a cross into the box found an unmarked Louis Walsh but his shot had no power and tamely went through to the keeper. On eleven minutes, Brayden Daniel was played through but his shot was straight at the keeper and out for a corner, which was played short and when the ball came into the back post Luke Tingey's header at the back post was wide. On 19 minutes a long throw for Callum Hall on the left was headed out but fell to Brayden Daniel on the edge of the area he cut inside and fired a right foot shot just wide of the right hand post. Moments later Daniel picked up the ball on the left wing crossed the ball into the box but was sliced out for a corner from one of the defenders, it could have gone anywhere. From the corner there was almost a repeat of the previous one with the ball headed out to Daniel on the edge of the area but this time his shot was saved.

On 24 minutes the Rayners number 9 who had arrived late was shown a straight Red and directing an aggressive behaviour and would language towards one of the Assistant Referee. Louis Walsh then had another chance on 25 minutes, the ball play into the box, it was knocked down by Jack Tutton but the shot was scuffed and tricked through to the keeper. Daniel and Hall then linked up well on the left hand side with the cross coming in and a first time effort from Ethan Lack from the edge of the area was just over the right hand angle of the goal. On 31 minutes there was a golden chance for Thame to take the lead, Jack Tuttons cross from the left into the box was met by an unmarked Mark Riddick just on the edge of the six yard box as he ran in and beat the offside trap, but his header was tamely onto the roof of the net.

Another chance fell to the home side on 38 minutes Jack Tutton playing the ball from the half way line over the top of the defence for Louis Walsh to run onto, as the keeper came out, the first time lob ended up on the roof of the net. Thame finally got their reward that all their dominance had deserved on 41 minutes. Brayden Daniel was played into the box by Louis Wals on the left as he picked up the ball the challenge came in from the right back who took out the player, the referee pointed straight to the spot. Walsh stepped up after a long wait with the Rayners players arguing and delaying the kick, and placed the ball into the left hand corner although the keeper went the right way the shot was two strong. There was one final chance before the half ended, Jack Tutton taking the ball off of the left back, dribbling into the area but his shot took a deflection, took the pace off of the ball and the keeper made the save. The half ended with the home side one nil in the lead but kicking themselves it wasn't more, with keeper Crowther a mere spectator.

Thame started the second half making one change with Greg Hackett replacing Ethan Lack, Harry Alexander moving into the ten role and Thame started where they left off, Jack Tutton playing Greg Hackett in on the left, he took the ball towards the goal but his shot was over the bar. Rayners then had their first shot of the game a long range effort from a central position was straight at keeper Crowther for a comfortable save, but then had another chance as a long ball into the box was picked up by the number 8, but his shot from the left angle was straight across the goal and out for a goal kick. The home side made a double Substitute on 60 minutes with Harry Alexander and Brayden Daniel being replaced by Leo Galpin and Lance Williams. The ten men of Rayners were having a bit more of the ball as the game went on and had a long range shot well over the bar after a free kick into the box was cleared, and could have equalised after Thame lost the ball on the left and the right winger raced into the box but his shot was over the bar, but the visitor were still in the game with Thame losing the intensity and allowing the opposition more time on the ball.

At the other end Greg Hackett then had a chance after a long ball played him in on the right but as the keeper came out his attempted lob was wide of the goal. Lance Williams was then played in on the right he took the ball to the byline and crossed to an unmarked Dan West just inside the box, his first time shot just shaved the left hand upright. The visitors then won a free kick in a central position just out side the D, the shot beat the wall but there was no pace on it and it was comfortably saved by keeper Crowther. Jack Tutton picked up a yellow on 74 minutes.

Thame missed another chance on 76 minutes, Greg Hackett with a lovely ball in-between the Rayners centre backs for Lance Williams to control the ball with his chest but his shot was wide of the right hand post. Then on 78 minutes and against the run of play, Rayners equalised, Thame gave the ball away in the middle of the park and were exposed at the back as they were pushing forward. The ball was played in behind the centre backs for the visitors forward to run onto he cut back in side and got his shot away, the advancing keeper Crowther got something on the ball but there was enough pace to take the ball over the line. Hackett was becoming more involved and influential in the game and set up another chance to retake the lead on 79 minutes his cross was headed out to Mark Riddick on the edge of the box but his shot was high over the bar. More chances fell to Thame Jack Tutton headed over from a Hackett cross, who them found him self played into the box but his first time shot was wide. As Thame searched for the winner Charlie Stow replaced Curtis Brown on 82 minutes to add more fire power up from and the substitution paid off when Stow picked up the ball in the Rayners half played the ball out to Louis Walsh on the left hand side, he drove the ball into the box, where the centre back tried to clear the ball but it fell to Charlie Stow who controlled the ball and prodded the ball past the advancing keeper from the edge of the six yard box on the left, Thame had retaken the lead in the 90th minute. There was one more chance from the home side a ball whipped across the box just avoided Hackett running in at the far post.

It wasn't the best performance from the home side and were guilty of over playing and trying to force the play rather than playing their natural free flowing football at times, but another important three points as the team will look to improve on Tuesday with Hadley FC the visitors to the ASM Stadium. Meanwhile defeat for Rayners Lane, sees them being the first team to be relegated from Division one and will play at step five next season.

Goals

Louis Walsh (41 minutes Penalty)
Charlie Stow (89 minutes)

Starting Eleven

1 Matty Crowther
2 Callum Hall
3 Curtis Brown (Charlie Stow 82 minutes)
4 Ethan Lack (Greg Hackett 46 minutes)
5 Luke Tingey
6 Mark Riddick (C)
7 Brayden Daniel (Lance Williams 60 minutes)
8 Jack Tutton
9 Louis Walsh
10 Dan West
11 Harry Alexander (Leo Galpin 60 minutes)

Substitutes

12 Lance Williams
14 Abu Khan
15 Greg Hackett
16 Leo Galpin
17 Charlie Stow

Attendance 105