Thame Utd 1, Aveley 1: An unstoppable second-half volley from Rob Smith extended Thame's unbeaten run to six matches in Saturday's Ryman League Division 1 North clash.

The uneven surface made life hard for both sides, but it was Thame who had the best of the early exchanges, with Jon Gardner testing Aveley keeper James Smith with a well-struck drive.

It was the visitors who opened the scoring after 17 minutes in a controversial style. Danny Curran, looking yards offside when he fired home.

United were on the back foot and were made to defend as the Essex side dominated possession, but Andy Williams, James Saulsbury and Tony Joyce at the heart of the home defence, stood firm to keep the deficit to one at the break.

Thame came out for the second half with much more urgency than they had shown in the first and Mark Avery went close in the 55th minute, heading Mark Jones's well-flighted corner just over.

A minute later, the equaliser arrived. The Aveley defence failed to clear their lines following another Jones corner and Smith thundered home an unstoppable volley from the edge of the box.

It was the visitors who were now defending in numbers as United dictated play.

Thame substitute Enzo Silvestri had a great chance to snatch a winner in the 85th minute, but his stinging drive was brilliantly pushed aside by Smith in the Aveley goal.

Thame Utd: Foster, Abbasi (Silvestri, 45), Joyce, Williams, Saulsbury, Smith, Avery, Ferreira, Gardner (West, 70), Jones (Stewart, 78), Thornton. Subs: (not used) S Smith, Freeman.

Attendance: 91.