April 8, 2023
Today’s Easter Saturday fixture at the ASM Stadium saw a match-up between the sides in 13th and 14th place in the table. With both sides having four matches still to play neither were mathematically safe from the relegation play-off places, so it wasn’t quite a meaningless end of season fixture where both sides have nothing to play for. Indeed, a win for either side would go a long way to soothing any anxiety should Highworth Town and Aylesbury United both have good runs to the end of the season.
Not to be confused with Kempton Park race-track ( or even Camptown races ! ), Kempston is a town in the borough of Bedford and is a journey of 40 miles to Thame, which should take just over an hour. These days this is close enough to be a Bank Holiday derby, although there is no historical rivalry between the sides, and there appears to have been only 6 previous meetings between the two clubs.
The sides first met in 2017/18 season when Kempston won 3-1 at Thame and drew 1-1 in the return fixture. Thame won the next three encounters, including doing the double last season, but Kempston were comfortable 3-0 winners back in November when the two sides last met, in front of a crowd of 151.
Kempston, who are also known as The Walnut Boys, arrived today with a record of just two draws in their last 9 league matches, which has drawn them into lower reaches of the table. In contrast, at the start of the season they suffered only one loss in their opening 8 matches. Last season they only stayed up after winning an inter-step play-off tie against North-East Counties Premier League runners-up Eccleshill United on penalties after a 2-2 draw.
Overall, Rovers had 9 wins in 32 games, 4 of which were away from home. Striker James Hatch had found the net 9 times but was not involved today, the same number as winger Ben Stevens.
On a dry day the weather at the 15.00 kick-off was around 14 degrees. It was warm, although when the sun went behind the clouds it was decidedly chilly !
The free team-sheet described Kempston’s shirts as fluo green and they were close to a colour clash with the bright yellow shirt being worn by the Thame keeper. The Kempston shorts were dark green though. Kempston had 11 fans behind the goal, and a few more dotted around the ground.
Thame started on the front foot and with barely two minutes played Kempston centre-back Jacob Anderson had to be alert to intercept a through ball from David Pearce intended to put Harlem Hale clear on the right-hand side of the penalty at the expense of a throw-in, and Greg Hackett skipped past two statuesque defenders only to send his shot from the edge of the area several yards over the bar.
A good run down the left by full-back Lewis Thorne won a corner, although the delivery from Pearce was way too long and sailed harmlessly off for a goal-kick. Kempston keeper George Rose had to then quickly come off his line to gather a headed flick-on from Jefferson Louis before Pearce could latch onto it.
The visitors only response was a free-kick from Ben Stevens which was over-hit and went off for a goal-kick.
With 15 minutes played Kempston centre-back Harry Riley slid into a 50:50 challenge with Jack Tutton and came out worse in the collision and was left screaming and moaning on the floor. After a delay of around 5 minutes, the unfortunate Riley was helped off the pitch to be replaced by Oluwalopemiwa Aderoju, whilst Tutton was shown a yellow card. The substitution forced a tactical change to the Rovers formation, with Kerins moving to centre-back, Muyembe dropping to right-back and Aderoju taking his place as an attacking midfielder. At half-time Riley was walking around the game on crutches.
Thame’s Hackett looked to have won a corner but in a number of mysterious decisions by the officials during the game, which affected each side equally, the referee awarded a goal-kick.
Thame continued to press, and after a good run from right back Jordy Ngathe, his cross was weakly headed under pressure by Louis, leaving keeper Rose to make an easy save. Hale and Pearce then combined to put Pearce in space by the by-line but the cross went beyond the far post. Hackett jumped for it and crashed to the floor. Was he pushed ? The referee didn’t think so and play continued.
Another Thame attack was thwarted when a lay back to Hale saw the shot deflected wide for a corner, which then led to a short delay as the goal-netting needed repair as it had started to sag.
The game’s first controversial moment occurred in the 28th minute. Thame keeper Hill came out of his area to collect a long ball, and beat the first attacker. However, his second touch wasn’t great, enabling Stevens to get there first, only to be clattered by a late tackle by the Thame custodian. With the Rovers bench screaming “He’s got to go “, the referee only brandished a yellow card, which from where I was standing looked to be a fair decision. Again, the free-kick from Stevens was way too long and went harmlessly off for a goal-kick.
Thame’s Hale, who was at the centre of most of their dangerous attacks, was able to turn and shoot from 20 yards, but the effort was blocked and looped high into the air, but Louis was unable to win the header and the loose ball was hoofed clear to safety.
In a rare foray into the Thame half, Kempston won a free-kick, and although the delivery was again poor, the clearance reached Kerins just outside the area, who was able to turn and shoot, but the attempt went comfortably over the bar. Rovers finally managed to deliver a decent free-kick but keeper Hill claimed bravely under pressure.
With the clock showing 45 minutes, more good passing from the home side released Hale on the right but his cross was taken off Hackett’s toes by Louis, but when the ball was laid off to Thorne, his screaming effort fizzed a foot wide of the post.
A few moments later Ngathe landed awkwardly on his shoulder and looked to be in considerable pain. Eventually, he was convinced his shoulder was OK and he could continue. The referee did amusingly ask if he was ready to take the throw-in to resume the game !
With the 4nd minute of added time being played, Kempston took the lead with a quality move that was out of keeping with most of what had gone before. Hamlin delivered a delicate chip over a square Thame back-line for Aderoju to run on to inside the Thame area, and with a one on one with keeper Hill, he wisely looked up to play a simple square ball to leave mid-fielder Dean Dummett with a tap-in to the unguarded net as the home side appealed in vain for off-side.
The half continued and a cross from Ngathe was miscued by a Rovers defender and looked to be looping into the top corner, but the back-pedalling Rose was able to claw away to prevent the own-goal. Kempston responded with a smart reverse pass from Dummett put centre-forward Lorrell Smith in space inside the Thame area but Gilmore prevented any danger, and then a sweeping move involving Louis, West and Pearce set-up Hackett, but he could only steer narrowly wide from 10 yards.
Although Kempston led 1-0 at the break, it hadn’t been a great first half, and whilst Thame had dominated possession, the Walnut Boys had clinically taken the one good chance they had created. The weather was increasingly getting warmer though and it was getting quite pleasant !
Kempston had the first good chance of the second half as a flowing move featuring Aderoju and Smith set-up Stevens just inside the Thame area, but his left-footed effort was well saved low down by Hill.
Thame’s reply saw Ngathe cut inside from the right by-line only to be brought down by Simpson. The free-kick from Pearce initially looked to have been over-hit but Gilmore stole in on the blind side to head into an empty net from a tight angle. It was now 1-1 with 53 minutes played.
A minute later Hackett looked to have won a corner but after the referee pointed for a goal-kick, in frustration he kicked the ball onto the road to Aylesbury to earn a deserved yellow card for dissent, and probably a loss of a ball !
The next dramatic incident occurred in the 55th minute. Aderoju fell over easily inside the Thame penalty area and the referee ignore the half-hearted appeal for a penalty. As play continued inside the Thame area Gilmore looked to have received a serious injury in a follow-up challenge from Aderojou. Play was halted for nearly 10 minutes as the Thame centre-back received treatment amid comments that an ambulance had been called for, and the gate opened in anticipation of its arrival. Eventually though Gilmore was helped off the field and I overheard a comment that he had broken a wrist. As he had been out injured all season and was only in his second or third come-back game it was especially unfortunate for the 19 year old.
Thame then had a good spell where they were pressing for a second goal and crosses rained into the Rovers 6 yard box, the Rovers defence was up to the challenge. Hackett put another ball out of the ground but this time it was legitimate, being a wild shot from 20+ yards.
Thame finally took the lead in the 70th minute. A good move put Hackett in space on the right and when his cross was blocked there were appeals for hand-ball. However, Hale played to the whistle, latched onto the loose ball and crossed to leave West with a header at the near post, and despite Rose getting a hand to it, the ball hit the back of the net to make it 2-1.
Having fallen behind, Kempston strove to get back on level terms and had their own good spell of pressure. A promising move was halted with an apparent head injury to Thame’s Tutton which didn’t look too serious, and perhaps the referee stopped play a little too early. Aderoju was then too strong for Murray and after running into the Thame area, the ball fell to Smith, but his blast from 8 yards was blocked by Mepham. Smith then had a good run to beat Thorne and after setting up Stevens on the edge of the area, the winger’s attempt crashed back off the crossbar. A lucky reprieve for the home side !
A Kempston free-kick found Dummett inside the Thame area, and although his shot was mis-hit, it sailed towards the far corner with Hill stranded, but unfortunately for Rovers, it drifted just over the bar.
Thame alleviated the pressure a little with Tutton’s 25 yarder being tipped over the bar by Rose but Kempston came back and Kerins’ 20 yard shot trickled narrowly wide with Hill rooted to the spot. Aderoju then headed a corner wide, but to the consternation of the home team, the officials awarded another corner.
The pressure from Kempston continued and Aderoju again hit the deck in search of a penalty, and yet again, as play continue a Thame centre-back suffered a serious injury, this time Harry Mepham had to helped of the field with what looked to be an ankle injury. Aderoju might have been satisfied with his contribution in decimating the Thame back-line, and the full-backs and replacement were probably subconsciously keeping their distance from him !
Despite their possession, Kempston were not able to create any more good chances but as at least 12 minutes of added time were expected they still had plenty of time to grab an equaliser. In the 94th minute a dangerous in-swinging corner was well caught by Hill.
Thame’s sad attempts at time-wasting at a throw-in were dealt with by the impatient referee awarding a foul-throw, but with Thame manager Mark West screaming for Hackett and Hale to keep the ball in the corner, they instead battled past their two markers, leaving Hale with the opportunity to make a simple pass for Pearce to slot home from 6 yards to clinch a 3-1 victory.
On the balance of the 90 minutes Thame deserved the three points, but Kempston could easily have grabbed a draw in the final 20 minutes, and it may have been very different had Stevens’ effort found the net rather than the crossbar.
With these three points and Highworth losing, Thame are virtually safe for another season, and whilst Kempston should be safe, they probably need one more win to be certain.
Online Programme : https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/files.pitchero.com/clubs/13461/GlwXz75fQVD8FnS1LwFj_Kempston%20Rovers%2008%2004%2023.pdf
Thame United : Hill – Ngathe, Gilmore ( Murray ), Mepham ( Peake-Pijnen ), Thorne– Hale, Tutton, West, Hackett – Pearce, Louis ( Gardner )
Kempston Rovers : Rose – Kerins, Riley ( Aderoju ), Anderson, Simpson – Wielblad, Hemlin, Dummett, Muyenbe – Smith, Stevens
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