Manager Mark West made a number of changes to the side that beat Oxford City Nomads on Bank Holiday Monday with David Lynn, Aiden Bailey, Nick Harrison and Kingsley Sibanda all coming in to the back four, with Ollie Lynch and Melvy Nsomi drafted in to Midfield and Ken Feyi given a start partnering Andy Gledhill.
The game opened in treacherous conditions, with United playing up the slight slope, and in to the rain and a strong wind. The opening exchanges lacked fluidity as both sides looked to adapt to the conditions. The first opportunity fell to United on 8 minutes with Gledhill heading just wide from a Lynn cross, before the home side put in a number of dangerous crosses in to the United box without troubling Craven in the Thame goal.
The deadlock was broken on 23 minutes when Gledhill was upended in the box. He then picked himself up to put the spot kick wide of the dive from Justin Yates. Opportunities came for United to extend the lead with Harrison heading wide on 26 minutes, Feyi placing an effort wide of the near post on 33 minutes, and Gledhill having an effort cleared off the line (35 minutes). The second goal did, however, arrive just before half-time when Feyi flicked on a corner in to the path of Harrison who finished confidently from close range.
The second half was relatively subdued with United content to stifle their opponents, and with opportunities limited. The lead was, however, further extended on 79 minutes when Gledhill followed-in a long-range effort that the keeper spilled in to his path and he headed home from 3 yards. Five minutes later and Lynn scored the goal of the game, striking a free kick from 25 yards in to the top corner and giving the keeper no chance.
The win sees United progress to the second round of the competition.
United: Craven, Sibanda, Lynn, Bailey, Harrison, Lynch, Evans, Ashworth, Gledhill, Feyi, Nsomi.