Thame United were back in the Pitching In Southern League Central Division One action on Tuesday night when they welcomed Stotfold to The ASM Stadium for this rearranged match that was postponed in December due to a waterlogged pitch. This was Thame's fourth game in 11 days and manager Ben Williams was forced into making changes to the eleven that started in the victory against Hertford Town on Saturday, Leo Galpin picked up a knock so was not in the squad and Tom McElroy was still suspended, so Fin Murray returned to the starting eleven with Harry Alexander swapping with Curtis Brown who moved to the bench, along with Greg Hackett and Jefferson Louis.

Thame got the game under way kicking from left to right in the first half, in the opening exchanges Thame looked threatening with Brayden Daniel breaking on the left hand side but was unable to find a Thame body in the box, at the other end a long ball was knocked down by the Stotfold centre forward, with the resulting shot on goal palmed away by keeper Crowther. Stotfold opened the scoring on 5 minutes a free kick from inside their own half was won in the air by the centre forward, his knock down was picked up by Spavins, who took the ball round the keeper and slotted into the net. Thame pushed forward with Daniel looking dangerous but failed to create a real opportunity with Stotfold sitting in deep and frustrating the home side, in fact it was the visitors that could have extended their lead with centre forward Kersey proving to be a handful for the Thame defence, finding himself unmarked in the box, his shot was straight at keeper Crowther. Minutes later Crowther was called into action again this time saving from Spavins

The visitors were in the ascendency, another long range shot was well saved by keeper Crowther as the ball arrowed towards the top corner and then Kersey had another headed but sent it just wide. The home side best chances were coming from Brayden Daniel on the left hand side and was causing the Stotfold full back lots of problems, so much so he was yellow carded for bringing down the winger, however Daniels final ball into the box was failing to find a red shirt. As the half drew to a close Thame had their best chance to get on the score sheet, Jack Tutton cut in on the left, his shot was blocked, Ty Deacon follow up effort was saved by the Stotfold keeper who could only parry the ball out to Mark Riddick whose shot hit the bar with the goal at his mercy. The half ended with the visitors 2 - 0 to the good and looked value for their lead and better than their lowly league position, while Thame looked out of sorts and far from the side that won away at Hertford on Saturday.
Thame were forced to make a half time substitute with Greg Hackett replacing Ethan Lack with Stotfold starting the half as they finished the first half, creating another chance with a cross from the right finding a Stotfold player unmarked in the box, but his shot rebounded off of the crossbar. Moments later another good move resulted in a goal bound effort saved by keeper Crowther. At the other end Harry Alexander had a good chance to pull one back after good work from Brayden Daniel but his shot was over the bar. Within a few minutes of the miss, Stotfold had a third, poor defending allowed the visitors to pick up the ball on their right hand side, drive into the box unchallenged and fire off a shot that beat the diving keeper to his right hand side. Thame made their second substitute on 60 minutes with Jefferson Louis replacing Dan West, however it was the visitors that extended their lead on 62 minutes, a long cross field ball to the left found winger Spavins who unchallenged ran in on goal a slotted his shot past the advancing Crowther, there was a hint of offside but appeared that the Thame left back was just keeping him onside. It was now 4- 0 and Thame looked down and out.

But football is a funny old game and what happened in the next 32 minutes was nothing more than unbelievable. On 64 minutes Thame won a free kick on the right hand side just inside the Stofold half Jack Tutton stepped up and floated a long ball to the back post it missed all the defenders and Jefferson Louis was at the back post to get something on the ball and it crept in past the keeper at the near post, it looked to be a consolation goal. Curtis Brown replaced Harry Alexander on 66 minutes, but Stotfold nearly had a fifth with another breakaway this time the shot rebounded of the right hand post and the rebound was put into the back of the net but the Assistant Referees flag went up for offside and the goal did not stand.

Finally with fifteen minutes to go, Thame had woken up, with Jefferson Louis now causing the visitors defence problems and winning balls in the air that earlier wasn’t happening, and a knock down put in Ty Deacon who beat his marker only for shot to be saved by the Stotfold keeper. Brayden Daniel and Mark Riddick had chances but both were saved again. The home side were in the ascendency although 1 - 4 down the visitors were hanging on and were looking ragged especially in defence, with 8 minutes to go a long through ball from Curtis Brown was flicked on by Mark Riddick just in side the box, the ball fell to Ty Deacon on the edge of the 6 yard box, who controlled the ball with his chest as the ball dropped he turned and fired home from close range.

As the clocked ticked down Thame’s formation was somewhat unconventional with six players up front and were laying siege to the Stotfold goal who were struggling to get out. Chances were coming with Daniel, Deacon, Louis and Hackett all going close in the final stages. The 90 minutes were up and there was four added minutes to play, Stofold looked to be taking the three points back to Bedfordshire, but on 91 minutes, with the ball in the Thame half a long hopefully route one ball from Curtis Brown was superbly flicked on by Jefferson Louis for Brayden Daniel to run onto on the left hand side, the Stofold defence were all over the place as he ran into the box he looked up and squared the ball for Greg Hackett unmarked running in on the far post who met the ball on the six yard line and steered it into the net. It was 3 - 4 with three minutes to play, but Thame were not done, and naively Stotfold couldn’t slow the game down and see out the final few minutes.

With moments to go and the referee looking at his watch, Curtis Brown broke on the right evaded a tackle took the ball to the byline and crossed Mark Riddick was unmarked at the back post, his header back across goal was cleared, it found Braden Daniel on the left on the edge of the box, his cross was again met by an unmarked Mark Riddick, his header was goal bound but was cleared by a defender, in front of the keeper the ball fell to Curtis Brown on the right of the six yard box, and with the keeper on the floor fired a first time shot into the back of the net, for a very unlikely equaliser.

As Stotfold kicked off the referee blew the final whistle it was that close to the end of the match. Stotfold played well for two thirds of the game with Thame really under performaing but credit to the home team who fought back and gained a point which never looked likely after 62 minutes.

Man of the Match

Brayden Daniel

Goals
Jefferson Louis 64 minutes
Ty Deacon 82 minutes
Greg Hackett 91 minutes
Curtis Brown 94 minutes

Starting Eleven

1.Matty Crowther
2.Josh Stranks
3.Oscar Lucey
4.Jack Tutton
5.Fin Murray
6.Mark Riddick
7.Brayden Daniel (Harry Alexander 75 minutes)
8.Ethan Lack (Greg Hackett 45 minutes)
9.Ty Deacon
10.Dan West (Jefferson Louis 62 Minutes)
11.Harry Alexander (Curtis Brown 66 minutes)

Substitutes
12.Jefferson Louis
14.Curtis Brown
15.Greg Hackett