Wealdstone 1 – 2 Thame United
Wealdstone1 - 2
Thame UnitedLast season we were not tame, we were frightened.
Yesterday, Stones seemed disinterested. All the good things that had been done in the match against Northwood were left aside as players seemed to go through the motions apart from a fifteen minutes spell at the very start which brought no result, and five minutes either side of the goal.
A bright start saw Stones force the visitors back early on, both Morgan and jolly having early chances that were defended well, but with no breakthrough after fifteen minutes, Thame came more into the game. It was not a thriller though, as for the majority of the half neither keeper had a save to make.
The only goal in the first half came from a penalty, Robin Tucker adjudged to have fouled Keen in the box – there was a delay before the Referee even blew the whistle and when he did both sets of players seemed surprised at the decision – an indirect free kick for obstruction seemed the right one! However up stepped Salisbury to score.
The second half started in similar vein to the first, with little opportunity’s created despite play moving from box to box. One break that Stones did create saw Marvin take a knock in the box, but with no foul given. Play continued until Stones were awarded a free kick, and Marvin received treatment. This seemed to enrage the visiting defence who then took it upon themselves to argue with each other at some length.
The whistle blew and the free kick was taken to Morgan – he stepped inside his defender and hit a low shot into the corner from the edge of the box for the Stones equaliser, which caused more heated discussion in the Thame defence!
There was little else to report as the match then petered out into a dour end of season affair, although it did pick up again as Thame dominated the last ten minutes, realising that their opposition seemingly wanted no part in a win, and they were duly rewarded in the 89th minute when Tucker and Burgess tangled – the ball broke free to start a Thame attack and Gardener did enough to clip the ball past Godfrey for 2-1.
Wealdstone: Dave Godfrey, James Fisher, Matt Graves, Robin Tucker, Matt Carvell, Dave Ryan, Tommy Williams (s80 Mark Burgess), Richard Jolly (s80 Jermaine Beckford), Jason Shaw (s45 Rob Courtnage), Marvin Morgan (53), Danny Tilbury, Subs not used: Mickie Swaysland, Billy Amarteifio
Harrow Times
Wealdstone 1 – 2 Thame United
By Steve PaullShare
THE football season at the White Lion ground ended with a whimper for Wealdstone as they never achieved the heights of Monday’s performance against Northwood and surrendered meekly to what can only be described as an average team in Thame, writes Steve Paull.
Whilst it is a cliché to use a phrase like ‘end of season game with nothing to play for’, that is exactly what was on offer on Saturday.
Thame were ordinary at best, and Stones were not firing on many cylinders as the first half hour passed with little goalmouth incident.
Dave Ryan’s volley from 30 yards producing a good save from Foster interrupted conversations in the crowd, and from then on the game improved.
There is nothing the Wealdstone crowd like more than being angry and feeling hard done by. This element was introduced when the fall by Thame’s Keen after a Robin Tucker tackle was deemed to be a foul. Saulsbury scored from the spot.
After the break Wealdstone had their best spell, but even this was after Matt Graves had to head off his own goal line.
Tommy Williams’s astute pass put Marvin Morgan in the clear, but with only Foster to beat he fired hopelessly wide, only to redeem himself moments later with a much more difficult drag-back turn and shot that beat Foster from fifteen yards.
Danny Tilbury then found a clever pass to put Richard Jolly in on goal, but Foster was alert enough to spread himself and save with his legs.
Having levelled Stones now seemed unable to press for a winner and the game returned to it’s first half state-Foster’s full length save from Morgan’s volley ten minutes from the end being the only highlight.
In truth, as the game appeared to be reaching an inevitable stale-mate conclusion, Thame seemed to up their game and look more lively.
There was more than a suspicion of offside in their 88th minute winner though.
West found himself completely in the clear after a simple nudge forward, following two Stones defenders getting in each others way.
When the ball was squared, Gardner forced it past Godfrey to bring the Wealdstone home season to an unsatisfactory conclusion.