Thame United were back in league action at the ASM stadium after a month on the road, when they welcomed Ware FC in the Pitching In Southern League Central Division One, this is the reverse match from the opening day victory at Ware. After last weeks out of character performance thame were looking to put that behind them and move on. With the visitors looking for their first win in six games.

Manager Ben Williams had a few selection issues with Jack Tutton starting a three match ban after the red card last week and a number of players absent meaning Thame named only three substitutes. Curtis Brown came into the starting line up to replace the suspended Tutton. And Greg Hackett replaced Brayden Daniels who moved to the bench.

Ware started the game kicking from left to right facing in to the sun. But it was Thame who started on the front foot, pushing Ware back, and won a number of early corners and created a few chances.Thame number 9 Tom McElroy was working really hard up front to close down the Ware back for and forcing errors. CURTIS BROWN and Greg Hackett were also causing the Ware full back problems running in behind them. Meanwhile at the other end Ware's best opportunities were coming down the right hand side, but there was little to trouble keeper Crowther. The best chance in the opening exchanges fell to Thame with a ball through the middle which Curtis Brown ran onto through the middle only to be brought down on the edge of the box. Dan West stepped up to take the free kick but his shot was straight into the wall. However it wasn’t long after that Thame took the lead, on 32 minutes, nothing more than they deserved, Greg Hackett picked up the ball on the left hand side drove at the full back, cut in on his right and shot from just inside the area, which beat the Ware keeper down low to his left. Six minutes later it was two, Alexander with a nice one two with McElroy on the edge of the box, opened up the defence and Alexander curled a shot over the keeper into the top left corner. The half ended with Thame comfortable at 2 - 0 and the visitors posing little threat to the Thame goal.

Thame kicked off the second half and started where they left off pushing Ware pack, and on 52 minutes Thame had a third, Captain Mark Riddick rising first to a Thame corner to head the ball into the net. The home side were in control with the defence of Oscar Lucey, Fin Murray, Leo Galpin and Josh Stranks, giving the Ware attack no time or space and being first to the ball on nearly every occasion. With Thame controlling the game it was only a matter of time but they had their forth, another corner was floated in and Riddick was first to the ball to ball with a powerful header giving the Ware keeper no chance. Curtis Brown, then had a chance to make it five, as he picks up on a through ball and was one on one with the keeper but his shot was save by the keepers legs.
Thame made a triple substitution on 78 minutes with Daniels, Garcia and Louis replacing Brown, Hackett and McElroy, all three had put in a really shift for the team. The fresh legs continued to provide problems for the Ware defence and created several more chances, but could not find the fifth. It got worse for the visitors with a few minutes to go with their number 4 being shown a straight red card for something he said to the referee.

Overall a very good reaction from the team after the previous weeks defeat, they out player the opposition in every area of the pitch and throughly deserved the victory. Next up for Thame is a midweek away trip to North Leigh on Tuesday 22 October kick off 19.45.

Man of the match

Mark Riddick

Goals
Greg Hackett (32 minutes)
Harry Alexander (38 minutes)
Mark Riddick (52, 66 minutes)

Team
1.Matthew Crowther
2.Josh Stranks
3.Oscar Lucy
4.Leo Galpin
5.Fin Murray
6.Mark Riddick
7.Greg Hackett (Fabian Garci 78 minutes)
8.Curtis Brown (Brayden Daniel 78 minutes)
9.Tom McElroy (Jefferson Louis 78 minutes)
10.Dan West
11.Harry Alexander

Substitutes
12.Jefferson Louis
14.Curtis Brown
15.Brayden Daniels