Town Left Disappointed As FA Cup Heads For A Replay After Late Thame Equaliser

Town came into the game after a comprehensive 3-0 win in midweek over Broadfields United, so confidence and belief amongst the camp was high heading out on to the battlefield once more.
Town lined up as follows: McKenzie-Lyle, Bryant, Silford, Murphy, Davison-Gordon, Foulger, Webb, Fredericks, Murrell, Towell, Campbell.
Renell McKenzie-Lyle coming back into the side after Brad Kirkwood’s inclusion on Tuesday, who was dropped to the bench. Jordan Fredericks also came in for Leigh Stevens.
It was a very bright start from Town, who got themselves on the front foot early, with Tom Bryant lining one up from out wide, that curled just round the wrong side of the post.
With only a few minutes played the referee brandished the first card of the game. It went the way of Town and to Tom Silford, for an off the ball incident.
With heat searing down on to the carpet at Thame, Town continued to cause the Step 4 side countless problems, with Danny Webb and Ashton Campbell going close in quick succession.
Then came Town’s biggest change of the half so far! Murrell held the ball superbly before picking out Towell, who then played one more pass to his right to the feet of Webb, who cut inside and struck a shot well wide of the goal. Despite the outcome, a great move from the Town!
Just a minute later though, an outcome that got Sweeney and his men even more fired up!
Ashton Campbell was slipped through on goal after beating the back line for pace. He composed himself and fired low and hard underneath the keeper and wheeled away celebrating! 1-0!
Town continued to dominate proceedings with James Towell in particular dictating the pace of the game. He went close with an audacious lob after the keeper came running out, but it bounced just wide.
Ashton Campbell found room to drive all the way from out wide on the left to the six-yard-box and he won a corner. From the resulting corner, Captain Murphy headed just wide of the post.
A much needed water-break was then signalled by the referee and Town got back underway at the same tempo.
Thame were forced into an earlier change which saw Lynton Goss replaced by Andy Gledhill.
Just moments after that, Town found themselves with a 2 goal advantage!
Aaron Murrell with his back to goal took a touch to shift the ball on to his left foot and fired a shot into the bottom right corner, to extend Town’s lead!
However, Town weren’t celebrating for long, because seconds after the restart, the hosts had pulled one back.
McKenzie-Lyle couldn’t hold a cross and it fell at the feet of a Thame attacker who lobbed it over him and substitute, Gledhill, was there to tap it home from a yard out.
With the game now at 2-1, a shift in dominance was seen for the remainder of the half, with the Town under the cosh.
McKenzie-Lyle was twice called into action with a save at the feet of a striker and a good save from a rasping long-ranger.
That saw the Half-Time whistle come, with plenty more action on its way in the second half.
With the game a little more settled in the early exchanges of the second period, Thame were the first to go close. McKenzie-Lyle once again coming to try and claim a cross but was beaten to it by an attacker, who could only head on to the roof of the net.
Then came a huge chance for Town! Towell played a delicious pass to Webb, completely cutting the defence open. Webb arrowed towards and just as he cut in to shoot he was denied by a sliding tackle from the Thame defender, to stop Webb from making it 3-1...
2 minutes later however, Thame went and equalised.
After cutting in from the outside, the Thame attacker managed to whip a ‘Tame’ cross in that somehow went all the way in at the far post. A potential 3-1 to 2-2 in a matter of minutes!
Town then stepped their play up a gear as they went in search of finding that elusive third goal. Ashton Campbell and Danny Webb both continued to use their pace down the flanks and both saw chances snuffed out by the Thame goalkeeper.
Thame then replaced Evans with Tutton.
Town made their first and only change of the game, when Aaron Murrell was replaced by Archie McClelland.
Thame then had another opportunity to try and get themselves in front for the first time in the game. Their 10 breezed through on goal but the chance was snuffed out well by McKenzie-Lyle.
Archie McClelland made himself an immediate nuisance and nearly was rewarded with a goal. Ashton Campbell nicked the ball of a defender and played it to McClelland, but he saw his shot blocked by the goalkeeper.
Just a minute later with 12 left to play though, Town took the lead once more!
Danny Webb, who had given the left back nightmares all game, switched on the afterburners to breeze past him again and he arrowed his shot into the bottom left corner, to put the Town a goal to the good! Webb, who has been excellent since joining from Potton United, netting his 3rd of the season!
However, despite Town taking the lead again, that lead lasted around 90 seconds.
Another cross not dealt with by McKenzie-Lyle or the Town defence was bundled home by Thame, to pull them back on to level terms once again.
With the game now heading for a Replay, Town couldn’t quite muster another serious opportunity. A deflected pass off of McClelland that nearly went in was about the best they could conjure up.
That saw the game through to Full-Time and the Thame Match Announcer signalled the what we all knew.
A replay, which will take place on Tuesday the 3rd of September, at Bell Close. A 19:45 Kick Off.
A sterling performance for large parts of the game from Town, who despite giving up a 2-0 and a 3-2 lead, were the better side for the majority of the contest, creating lots of opportunities and dictating most of the play.
A very creditable result against opposition in a higher division.
We hope you can join us at the Replay in what promises to be a great game under the lights at Bell Close!
Before then however, is the little matter of the First Round Qualifying of the FA Vase against Bugbrooke St Michaels in Saturday, a 15:00 Kick Off at Bell Close!
The draw for the First Round Qualifying of the FA Cup will be released at 1PM on Tuesday the 27th, so keep an eye out for who we could be facing if we can get past Thame!
Thanks for your support yet again!

Report by

Kieran Carvell