Thatcham Tn 0

Thame Utd 1 (Stewart 23)

Alex Stewart grabbed the winner as Thame United upset Zamaretto Southern League Division 1 South & West club Thatcham Town.

The opening exchanges were fairly even, but it was not long before the visitors from the Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division started to create chances.

Stewart was unlucky when he met a Luke Ricketts’ corner with a powerful header which just cleared the crossbar.

But with Thame playing attractive flowing football, he made no mistake in the 23rd minute.

Nik Rhodes’s free-kick found Stewart who, despite having his shirt pulled, collected the ball and juggled it before turning and sidefooting it past the keeper from close range.

Minutes later, Aaron Rogers was unlucky not to increase the lead when his shot was deflected wide.

Thame keeper Paul Searle was called into action just before half-time when he came out to save bravely.

Thatcham came out fired up for the second half, bringing on two substitutes.

And one of them, Carl Self, saw his shot brilliantly saved by Searle.

Thame countered and Rogers just failed to get his head to Ben Connelly’s cross.

The home side hit a Thame post and Steve Newell cleared the ball off the line, while at the other end, Stuart Braun headed over the bar and Stuart Barr shot just wide.

Thame had a lucky escape five minutes from time when Self – faced with an open goal – shot over the bar.

And in a frantic finale, Thame held on to reach the next round.

Thame Utd: Searle, Barr, Newell, N Rhodes, Saulsbury, El-Kassir (Stallwood), Connelly, Braun, Stewart (Jones), Rogers (Hoskin) Ricketts.

Attendance: 110.