BICESTER TOWN 2-0 THAME RANGERS: FULL MATCH REPORT + IMAGES...

Busy Rangers Blustered By Bicester Brace

Bicester Town 2-0 Thame Rangers

More than a third of Bicester’s squad of 14 players on the night had surnames beginning with B and indeed, all three replacements were Bs: Bailey, Bone and Bridges, surely a firm of accountants? However, one of Rangers’ Bs, Dan Bowker was incorrectly described as ‘Balker’ on the official team-sheet and so I must apologise to him for my understandable errors on the highlights commentary. He was brilliant during the evening and made bold, bright and blistering saves, mostly from Bicester’s Benjamin, who might have netted four or five times on another night…      

BENJAMIN SUDDENLY REALISES THAT HE'S LEFT A LEG IN THE CHANGING -ROOM...

Certainly The Foxhunters created more chances than their plucky visitors throughout the ninety minutes which were plagued by a gusty wind rushing in blusters mainly down the slope away from the facilities end of the Playing Field ground. Both teams did quite well to manage in the poor conditions and during a very competitive match, two late goals, first by home skipper Dean Smith and then eventually by Ricardo Benjamin sealed Rangers’ fate. The result might just have been affected somewhat by the referee though, for after booking home defender Gavin Kidd in the first period for crashing into goalie Bowker (or Balker, Barker, or perhaps even Belker from ‘Hill St Blues’), The Foxhunter number 4 immediately and carelessly tripped an opponent and on another day that too might have resulted in a caution. The official said nought in this case… 

THE REFEREE LOOKS SOMEWHAT TOO HAPPY...

However, an industrious Thame start was punctuated by two low drives for Town by Benjamin and then Smith. The left-footer by Benjamin was blocked I think by Bowker’s boot and then Smith was denied splendidly by the advancing goaltender near the edge of his penalty-box, although the guests managed to fashion one chance when leading scorer Patrick Buston slipped a pass sideways for his tireless skipper Dan Hatton but when the midfielder side-stepped Kidd and shot a low 18 yard left-footer, home custodian Joe White fell to block well. Home wide-man Rob Johnson then couldn’t get onto Benjamin’s service from the left but returned the favour with a flick-on to his colleague but with only Bowker to beat, not only did the goalie save the ball, Benjamin was flagged offside anyway.

BUSTON NEEDS THE LOO ALREADY...

NOTICE THE HUGE CROWD ON THE FAR TOUCHLINE...

Skipper Smith glanced a header from a Frank Harrison cross well wide of the target for The Foxhunters, before Benjamin’s pace took him away from visiting defender Matt Johnson but his measured shot from inside-left was slightly diverted past his left upright by the agile Bowker, or Barker, maybe Balker, or perhaps even Blinker… The flag-kick caused Rangers some apprehension and midfielder Shannon Jesson was forced to hack the loose ball away from his 6 yard box. Jesson was totally committed throughout this match and was regularly prominent in the trenches for the Rangers. A cross from the right by Ranger Ben Gray bounced on the pudding and slipped between White’s legs but the home goalie recovered the ball before it either rolled into his net, or became carrion for the lurking Buston.

JESSON (8): COMBATIVE...

The Sergio Busquets lookalike in the home midfield area, Jason Prpa, soon slipped a neat pass forward for Steve Gardner to follow and the influential number 10 capitalised as the ball bobbled away from visiting playmaker Christian Deste. Gardner rapped a 19 yard left-footed shot which Bowker, possibly even Balker, palmed aside for a left-wing corner. The resulting set-piece curled towards goal and Bowker was bashed, bullied and baulked in the back by Kidd which incited a few bleating players to bear a grudge or two but only Kidd was booked. Then Kidd, gloves off, tripped a rushing opponent but received no second yellow card, before Foxhunter Cameron Macpherson slipped a low drive wide of the left stick from 20 yards on a counter attack. 

GARDNER IS BOOKED FOR NOT RETREATING 10 YARDS AT A THAME FREE-KICK...

KIDD HAS BARGED THE GOALIE WHOSE SURNAME BEGINS WITH 'B'...

"HMM, I LIKE YOUR AFTER-SHAVE..."

SMITH DISCUSSES, KIDD GETS BOOKED...

Both the speedy Buston and the Thame right-winger Joe Brittain shoved low centres across the home goal-face, before a clearance by Ranger Jordan Davis cannoned off right-back James- (no) Luckett and freed Benjamin again at inside-left for Bicester but his low delivery was neatly grabbed by the astute Bowker, or was it Bicker? The half ended immediately after Gray had popped the ball into the Town net but was flagged offside and the players disappeared to re-gel hair, pluck leaves from beards and find out how the Champions League was progressing. 

LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER BALL HAS BEEN BOOMED OUT OF THE GROUND...

The wind continued to ravage my hair into Mr Fluffy proportions during the interval and the Bicester accountancy firm warmed up, as well as chattering to a spectator whom they knew but after the break, Rangers would have the blustery wind at their backs and the slope to their advantage, yet the hosts would subsequently force the issue and squander a number of chances, although to be fair, Bowker, A.K.A Balker would deny The Foxhunters on a number of occasions.

BUSQUETS APPEARS FOR THE SECOND PERIOD...

THAME MANAGEMENT...

BICESTER BOSS...

The goalminder did miscue a clearance at the start of the second-half however but he survived the ensuing panic and he was soon in evasive action, following a smart assist by Smith. Benjamin was the beneficiary and he was free at inside-left but his 16 yard effort as Bowker, or maybe Bunker advanced was smartly saved by the reactive gloveman, leaving Luckett to block the striker’s rebound shot. Harrison and Benjamin then combined neatly to offer the impish Gardner a shot at goal from 10 yards, inside-left channel but he right-booted the ball well wide of the near upright. Then the famous firm of Johnson and Johnson clashed: Matt knocked Rob over which earned a caution for the Ranger, before the visiting manager attempted to get a message to the industrious Deste. I then heard a comment from another Thame player that I’ve never heard before on a soccer pitch: 

“He can’t hear you, he’s got a migraine…”

THE REF ATTEMPTS TO HITCH A LIFT HOME FROM A SPECTATOR...

THE RANGERS' STRIKER IS AMAZINGLY STILL BUSTON FOR A PEE...

Deste was soon replaced by Kieron Moreton, moments after the glabrous Stuart Bridges had replaced Busquets, er, Jason Prpa. Bridges changed the game in effect, looking relaxed on the ball and picking up some useful possession for The Foxhunters. The racing Rob Johnson was then floored by Ranger Dan Lynn, whose name rhymes with 1950s Aston Villa right-back Stan ‘The Wham’ Lynn, who netted a hat-trick for Villa on one occasion, a rarity for defensive full-backs in those days. He simply blasted penalties with the old heavy leather balls and it must have been a real task for ‘keepers to keep the efforts out. Ah, but there was not a Balker, er, Burker, sorry, Bowker about in those days…

BRIDGES PLAYS 'WHAT'S THE TIME MR WOLF?'

Booker, er, Bowker raced out to snaffle the ball following another good rush by Rob Johnson, then finally Rangers managed a little offense but although Buston fell as Kidd challenged him for Gray’s right-side centre, the referee saw nothing wrong with the defender’s efforts. A goal just had to come for Town and really, Benjamin would have been disappointed not to have claimed it. He fastened onto a neat Gardner pass at inside-left but the advancing Bilko, sorry, Bowker made a fine left-handed save. The ball was cleared but soon Rob Johnson combined with Macpherson and Smith to feed the effervescent Gardner on the right side of the penalty-box and his pass was struck goalwards by Macpherson from 9 yards but the ‘keeper made yet another fine reaction save, only for the ball to reach Smith and his slightly deflected shot fizzed low into the Thame net.

1-0...

SMITH IS THE SCORER BUT A RANGERS PLAYER, EXTREME RIGHT, SHOWS HIS DISPLEASURE...

The Rangers response was a 35 yard effort by Jesson, from Lynn’s pass and the ball soared on the wind, forcing White to arch backwards and tip the effort over his crossbeam. Buston, whose pace had been his main asset on the night, was obviously struggling with a knock and he was replaced by Lewis Crager, before Dan Bone, as glabrous as Bridges, replaced Harrison for The Foxhunters. Benjamin curled a left-booter from inside-right, 15 yards out, wide of the far stick, then the hosts finally made the game safe with a second goal.

2-0...

Bone did well to set up Gardner at inside-right and he burst forth to fire in a hard, low shot which forced another excellent save from the diving Beaker, er, Bowker but the rebound was cruel and fell to Benjamin, whose low shot rolled into the left corner of the net from 12 yards. At last the striker had scored and he was so overcome with relief that he was substituted almost immediately for the introduction of the third ‘B’, Jack Bailey.

RANGERS DOWNHEARTED... 

...BUT BENJAMIN IS THE SCORER...

Bone was cautioned for delivering an unnecessary bone-crunching tackle on an opponent near the defensive left corner-flag, Hatton sliced a shot way off target for the visitors and the referee’s final whistle sounded and was carried on the wind into the lounge of the lit house behind White’s goal. Certainly Town deserved the points, although Rangers had battled so well, especially through the efforts of Jesson and to a lesser extent, Buston, Gray, Hatton and Deste. Davis and Matt Johnson had done reasonably well in defence but the star had been Baker, sorry, Bowker…

BENJAMIN WANTS TO GO OFF NOW...

The Foxhunters were well served by the buzzing Gardner in midfield, backed by Macpherson’s input but in truth skipper Smith played smartly in attack which lacked height but not mobility. Benjamin often produced pace and danger but his finishing on the day was not what he would have hoped, even though he should point at the Rangers’ goalie’s excellence as the main reason why he managed only one goal. Home defenders Kidd and Harry Brock badgered rapid Ranger Buston throughout and Rob Johnson made some strong right-flank runs for Town, mostly after the break.

Bridges’ introduction though seemed to bring on a more calm approach by the hosts and it was no coincidence that the brace of goals was scored following his appearance. 

And the Thame ‘keeper? Ah, he was called Bowker…

TEAMS: 

BICESTER TOWN:

JOE WHITE, JAMIE PRPA, HARRY BROCK, GAVIN KIDD, DEAN SMITH (CAPT), FRANK HARRISON, ROB JOHNSON, JASON PRPA, RICARDO BENJAMIN, STEVE GARDNER, CAM MACPHERSON.

SUBS:

JACK BAILEY, DAN BONE, STUART BRIDGES.

THAME RANGERS:

DAN BOWKER, JAMES LUCKETT, DAN LYNN, CHRISTIAN DESTE, JORDAN DAVIS, MATT JOHNSON, JOE BRITTAIN, SHANNON JESSON, PATRICK BUSTON, DAN HATTON (CAPT), BEN GRAY. 

SUBS:

KIERON MORETON, HARRY HAWES, CHARLES ATTWELL, CRAIG FAULCONBRIDGE, LEWIS CRAGER.