THAME UNITED 4-2 HIGHWORTH TOWN: FULL MATCH REPORT...

Highworth Thamed As Gledhill Finds His Range…

Thame United 4-2 Highworth Town

Following an even opening to this game, during which neither team really extended the opposing goalkeeper and in truth, the final incisive pass was lacking, two quick goals alerted a gliding Red Kite to cast a predatory eye upon the improving encounter below. The stressed Thame manager, Mark West was relieved of a considerable amount of stress during the match, as illustrated by his entertaining antics on a number of my video clips. He was irritated by some of his team’s early deliveries actually, particularly from the left-flank, yet looked happy enough when Tom Ashworth’s unusual goal flew into the Town net but then completed a passable impression of a parade-ground sergeant, angry with one of his erring squaddies, when his ‘keeper conceded an immediate penalty. Ah, it’s good to see some emotion… After the interval, his team certainly deflated Highworth, with striker Andy Gledhill netting a brace, as well as Ashworth’s neatly setting up of Gledhill’s strike-partner Lynton Goss, whose first-half finishing had been awry, for the fourth goal. The visitors though, through the endeavour of midfielder Ryan Stanners and the threat of forwards Fabian McCarthy and Aysa Corrick, emerged from their poor period and finished strongly, netting a consolation goal to make the scoreline more acceptable, I guess. Having lost skipper Ross Adams to injury, Town were always struggling to cope in defence later in the game and home replacement Ken Feyi maybe ought to have pilfered a goal or two. Ben Connelly struck an upright too and in fairness, the hosts thoroughly deserved the three points.

HAYES TELLS THE REF THAT HIS SHIRT ISN'T TUCKED IN PROPERLY...

WRONG EVENT.
THE 100 METRES SPRINT IS TAKING PLACE IN RIO, NOT THAME...

RICKETTS FINDS A NASTY MARK ON ON OPPONENT'S SHORTS...

An early Luke Ricketts shot was collected by Town ‘keeper Max Schofield but Goss’ no gloss finishing was lack-lustre, as shown when Schofield raced from goal and Goss won possession, but with colleagues lining up for a pass across the 18 yard box, he clipped an angled shot well off target. He would cut inside later in the half and drive well wide again, with midfielder Dan West displaying no appreciation of his colleague’s unawareness… Calvin Evans’ centre was well defended by Town’s Corrick but from the resulting left-side corner, the ball was a cleared to Connelly, who sliced his shot badly. The opening goal caused real consternation for home manager Mark West, strangely, for in the build up to the strike, Highworth’s Adams made rather a two-booted lunge on Goss in midfield. The referee played an advantage however, Goss then exchanged passes with Gledhill on the right flank and when Goss’ shot was partially blocked from 16 yards, the recovering Adams hooked a clearance against the foraging Ashworth and the ball ricocheted into the net. As Ashworth lunged forth, it was like watching a shoebill stork flailing into a pond onto an unsuspecting lungfish… The lean Ashworth was a stumbling block in midfield for the guests and the Thame midfielder deserved that reward for his efforts. 

GOAL FOR 'SHOEBILL' ASHWORTH...

STANNERS MIGHT HAVE SPOTTED A KESTREL...

ADAMS' INJURY BEGINS HERE...

QUITE A CELEBRATION...

ADAMS IS ATTENDED TO...

Later in the half, Gledhill, whose attitude was calm and thoughtful in the home attack, began to threaten more but he was beaten to a through-pass by Schofield, before being sent clear again by Goss’ feed, only for Schofield to drop left like a Kestrel onto a mouse and turn the ensuing low drive aside. Visiting defender Tom Cole escaped a caution for the deliberate baulking of an attacker, which was odd, for Corrick had earlier been cautioned for a challenge and home defender Nick Dugmore had also been booked for a tackle on visiting forward Ash Edenborough, who I last saw in Evesham United’s colours. 

GLEDHILL REACTS TO THE SWAY OF THE CROWD, AFTER HIS LOW SHOT IS SAVED BY SCHOFIELD...

RICKETTS THREATENS COUSINS.
PROBABLY BROTHERS, AUNTIES AND NEIGHBOURS TOO...

The visitors created less offense than their hosts in the opening period, although it took a superb tackle by Dugmore to deny McCarthy in the opening exchanges, after Ricketts’ poor left-side centre had been hacked clear by Highworth. Home ‘keeper Henry Claven had parried an angled shot from Edenborough but when the goalie conceded an unnecessary penalty, having advanced left towards the edge of his penalty-box, Edenborough stepped up, smashed his spot-kick off the diving Claven, off the underside of the crossbar too and then into the net, to regain immediate parity for the guests. Edenborough, harassed by Dugmore, was unable to get in a shot, as he broke away again near the interval but the deadlock remained until after welcome drinks were taken in the respective dressing-rooms.

THE MANAGER IS LESS THAN IMPRESSED BY THE CONCESSION OF A PENALTY...

EDENBOROUGH HAS SCORED...

1-1 NOW...

ALAS, POOR CORRICK, THE REF KNEW YOU WELL...

The powerfully built home central defender Derek Feyi, who had been dispossessed once in the first-half but had rescued the awkward problem with a saving challenge, had an early second period opportunity to score but his low drive, following a short corner was easily collected by Schofield. Gledhill got his heading sights adjusted with a near post effort from Ricketts’ centre, which lifted too high over the angle of cross-beam and upright, before he was the recipient of a fine right-side delivery by the touchline-hugging Connelly. The winger had been fed by Evans and with Adams marking Goss, Gledhill escaped from Luke Cousins to head an emphatic finish high into the net. 

2-1...

GOSS TELLS GLEDHILL THAT ALTHOUGH THE STRIKER HAS SCORED, HIS OWN BOOTS ARE AT LEAST 'COOL'...

Highworth failed to convert a great chance to equalise again but then more left-wing possession by the hosts led to a low centre by Goss, Ashworth and Connelly were involved at the edge of the penalty-area but Gledhill it was, who turned to shoot low into the left corner of the net from 12 yards, through a crowd of players, leaving Schofield as helpless as namesake Phillip lost in a Welsh rugby scrum and the hosts were cruising.

3-1...

GLEDHILL AGAIN...

NICE STANCE, GAFFA...

4-1 arrived soon afterwards, with Highworth in a muddle defensively and again Ashworth caused the problem, taking West’s short feed and passing left for Goss to ignore his errant right boot but fire low and left-booted into the bottom right corner of the net. Edenborough was cautioned for his comments afterwards… 

GOAL 4 PUTS THE GOSS ON IT...

Gledhill, looking a little shaken and flushed, was replaced by Ken Feyi and was duly hugged and consoled by his management team and with Cousins now filling in at centre-back for the visitors, Ricketts’ passage along the left-flank became easier, with substitute Liam Crabbe moving sideways to defend on that side… One centre was nudged onto the base of the near post by ‘our Ken’, with Cole conceding a corner; Ken then shoved a defender in the back before lobbing a header from Goss’ corner off target and finally, after Connelly’s fine header struck a post, ‘Ken-John’ peeled to the left upright for the rebound but his shot was smothered wide by Cousins again. 

GLEDHILL FINDS AN INTRUSIVE BOGEY...

"I NEED A CUDDLE, BOSS..."

Melvy Nsomi, who relieved the useful Dugmore, and Aiden Bailey, who relieved the bearded Derek Feyi, entered the fray but Highworth kept playing and Stanners really came to the fore. Earlier in the half, Kieron Gleed, the left-side attacker, had played a one-two with McCarthy, which involved a back-heel by the striker but Corrick had somehow headed wide at the far stick with the goal at his mercy. Now THAT had been a ‘game-changer’… Harry Myles, combative in the Town midfield, sliced badly wide but although Stanners drove straight at Claven from 18 yards, the only real threat came when the second goal itself arrived. Ken Feyi’s pass was short on offense, Edenborough struck the ball first-time and Corrick got away at inside-right, broke clear of the otherwise calm and dependable home skipper Connor Hayes but saw his rasping right-footer strike the base of the right upright. The rebound however, flew to McCarthy, who set himself to shoot low into the net, as the home defence regrouped and Adams attempted to intervene. 

CORRICK LOOKS LESS THAN DELIGHTED THAT McCARTHY HAS NETTED AFTER HIS OWN SHOT HAS CANNONED FROM AN UPRIGHT...

Late substitutes Ryan Desouza and Josh McGrory, for Corrick and Myles could not affect the scoreline further and the game petered out into a comfortable home victory. Early good work in midfield by Mathew Jenkins for the visitors, with Stanners and Myles active too, was not to prove enough for the team and Corrick’s leggy dribbles were well defended by Dugmore and Hayes. Cousins, before moving into the centre, had looked positive at right-back for the guests and only later in the game did home winger Ricketts begin to cause problems for the visitors, after the ailing Adams had been withdrawn.

STANNERS: COMFORTABLE IN MIDFIELD ALL AFTERNOON...

Hayes’ steady defending, competent full-back play by Dugmore and Calvin Evans, along with strength in centre midfield by Ashworth and West really strangled Highworth, but Gledhill’s finishing was effective for the hosts and Goss played the supporting role much better after half-time. 

Mark West? Possibly went home feeling like he’d spent a very useful afternoon on a psychiatrist’s couch… 

The smile had returned, anyway…

TEAMS:

THAME UNITED:

HENRY CLAVEN, CALVIN EVANS, NICK DUGMORE, CONNOR HAYES (CAPT), DEREK FEYI, TOM ASHWORTH, BEN CONNELLY, LYNTON GOSS, ANDY GLEDHILL, DAN WEST, LUKE RICKETTS.

SUBS:

KEN FEYI, MELVY NSOMI, AIDEN BAILEY.

HIGHWORTH TOWN:

MAX SCHOFIELD, LUKE COUSINS, TOM COLE, ROSS ADAMS (CAPT), HARRY MYLES, MATHEW JENKINS, KIERON GLEED, FABIAN McCARTHY, ASH EDENBOROUGH, RYAN STANNERS, AYSA CORRICK.

SUBS:

JOSH McGRORY, LIAM CRABBE, RYAN DESOUZA, LUKE BRYAN.