Kettering Tn 2,Thame Utd 2 THAME United came within three minutes of causing the shock of the FA Umbro Trophy second round on Saturday as they held Conference giants Kettering to a replay.

The visitors' hero was striker Ronnie Joe, whose two goals had put the Ryman League Division 1 leaders in the driving seat.

However, the home side's 87th-minute equaliser was enough to give them another chance at Windmill Road tomorrow night.

United were forced on to the back foot in the opening period, with the home side enjoying more possession, but the Thame defence, well-organised by skipper Martin Brown, stood firm.

Jefferson Louis came close to opening the scoring after 32 minutes when, after a strong run, his effort clipped the Kettering bar with keeper Adam Sollitt beaten.

The game sparked into life in the 50th minute when Kettering went ahead. Thame failed to clear their lines and the ball fell to Stuart Storer, whose neat cross was met by a Craig Norman header. Despite a valiant save by keeper Ian Moores, Dale Watkins was on hand to score from close range. Thame were stung into action and they roared forward in search of an equaliser - and what a cracker it was. In the 59th minute, Mark West found Joe, who ran at the retreating defence and unleashed an unstoppable effort from 25 yards before keeper Sollitt could react.

Kettering were stunned again in the 65th minute when Joe caused panic in the heart of the home defence, beating Colin Vowden and smashing the ball high into the net past the helpless Sollitt from the edge of the box.

Last season's Conference runners-up reacted by upping the tempo, but were continually denied by the Thame rearguard in which 17-year-old James Saulsbury and Dave Tregurtha were outstanding.

With the clock ticking away, Kettering resorted to hopeful balls into the Thame box and got a break they hardly deserved.

The ball broke to Stuart Storer, who beat Moores with a low drive.

Thame: Moores, Joe, Gascoyne (Jones 58), Brown, Tregurtha, Saulsbury, Louis, West, G Williams, Perna, Paul. Subs not used: Shepherd, Mitchell, Avery, Cartwright.

Attendance: 998.

Story date: Monday 29 November

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