Thame Utd 2, Oxford Utd Res 5: Juan Pablo Raponi grabbed his first goals in English football as Oxford United brushed aside Thame's challenge in an ill-tempered Oxfordshire Senior Cup semi-final at Court Place Farm last night.

Raponi struck twice, with beautifully taken efforts, as the Coca-Cola League Two outfit booked their place in the final against either Witney United or Oxford City, who meet at Marriotts Stadium next Tuesday.

But it took an unsavoury touchline incident in the 25th minute to fire the U's up - and the young Argentine was at the centre of it.

Raponi was recklessly fouled by a Thame player, retaliated with a half-hearted elbow and Thame striker Jon Gardner came charging in and had to be hauled away by his colleagues.

As one spectator verbally abused Thame United manager Mark West from the main stand, West's assistant, Brett Chowns, then hurled the ball at the spectator's face, knocking his glasses off.

Referee Chris Banks amazingly declined to book any of the players involved. He should really have sent Chowns from the field of play.

Oxford United were a goal down at the time, after Danny Keen had opened the scoring in the tenth minute following a terrible mix-up between keeper Bradie Clarke and centre back Andrew Gunn.

But after the touchline brawl, Craig Davies celebrated another Wales Under 21 call-up by equalising when he cut in from the left and fired across keeper Steve Smith.

Midfield workhorse Paul Wanless made it 2-1 to United by heading home Danny Morgan's right-wing cross at the far post.

And just before half-time Raponi glided past the keeper to score his first goal for the club after a surging 40-yard run from Davies.

Thame player-boss West replaced the injured Keen before the break and Gardner was unlucky with an angled shot against the post which rebounded into the arms of a grateful Clarke.

Raponi darted in from the left and made it 4-1 with a right-footed shot on 56 minutes, and two minutes later Morgan's first-time chip over Smith, from Emiliano Diaz's pass, emphasised the gulf in class between the two teams.

However, Southern League side Thame kept plugging away and West pulled a second goal back eight minutes from the end after excellent work on the left by Gardner.

Spectators were treated to a cameo 30-minute appearance from French winger Amine Karam, who replaced the elder Diaz and showed some dazzling dribbling skills.

Thame Utd: S Smith, Lane, Joyce (Stewart 63), Mills, Avery, Merritt, Gardner, Moore (A Smith 60), Keen (West 40), MC Jones, Wilson

Oxford Utd Res: Clarke, M Diaz, Molyneaux, Wanless, Gunn (Roberts 63), Woozley, E Diaz (Karam 60), Burton, Davies, Morgan, Raponi (Winters 77).