Woodbridge 0, Thame Utd 2 (aet)

THAME United are just one step away from Wembley after they came good in extra time yet again to see off their Suffolk hosts in Saturday's FA Carlsberg Vase quarter-final.

Goals from Liam Herbert and super sub Jefferson Louis put them into the hat for this evening's semi-final draw.

Herbert scored from the spot in the 94th minute after he had been shoved over in the box by James Long.

And Louis made the game safe five minutes later when he stabbed home a Keith Holmes cross at the near post.

It was Thame's fourth extra-time win in five Vase ties this season, starting with victory over Bicester in the second round back in November.

Thame had started brightly, forcing a string of corners in the opening five minutes.

But they should have fallen behind on eight minutes when John Wark, the former Ipswich, Liverpool and Scotland star, lobbed just over after being put through by Paul Mason, another ex-Portman Road favourite. And there was another big scare on ten minutes when the home side broke with pace down the right. It needed a late intervention from young centre back Dave Tregurtha to deny Nigel Wallis.

Thame were under real pressure and Dennis Gascoyne had to be alert after a slip by skipper Martin Brown. Then, a shot from the hosts' Damian Gilbert bounced off the chest of Thame keeper Ian Moores and was hacked away to safety.

But the visitors began to find their feet, and had the better of the rest of the half without ever looking like scoring.

They could, however, have fallen behind within 30 seconds of the restart, a Wallis shot getting deflected into the path of Wark on the edge of the six-yard box, only for Brown to slide in and rob him with a magnificent goal-saving tackle.

And there was further agony for the big home crowd on 51 minutes when Tregurtha's weak header back to Moores was intercepted by Wallis, who slipped his shot a fraction wide of the post. But, as in the first half, Thame gradually established their superiority.

Substitute Greg Williams flashed a shot scross the face of goal and then with eight minutes to go the same player's centre for Herbert was just cut out.

Louis had a great chance to win it for the visitors in injury time when he brilliantly beat two men, only to stub his shot horribly wide.

Woodbridge's James Long was sent off for his second bookable offence with five minutes to go. Thame will face either Taunton, Tiverton or Bedlington Terriers in the last four.

Thame Utd: Moores, Gascoyne, Roberts, Brown, Tregurtha, A Williams (Gregory 102), Joe (G Williams 65), Carlisle, Holmes, Herbert, Walker (Louis 73). Sutcliffe, Sherwood.

Referee: K Woolmer (Northampton).

Attendance: 1,051.

Story date: Monday 22 February

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