February 18, 2025
Tonight saw a rescheduled match that was originally scheduled for a Friday night in early January but was postponed due to a frozen pitch. The weather had put to an end to an interesting experiment to see if matches on Friday nights would result in increased attendances, and the two sides had played each other on a Friday night in September when a crowd of 237 turned up in Kings Langley to see Thame win 2-0, thanks to two goals from Harry Alexander.
Thame had been trying to follow in the footsteps of their friends just down the ring road, Chinnor RFC, who since 2020 have been playing one or two games a season on a Friday night against local rivals in front of bumper audiences.
Thame United Update
Thame’s league record was now 16-2-9 to sit in 6th place. These diaries last featured Thame at the start of February when they made an astonishing comeback at home to Stotfold to draw 4-4 after being 0-4 down with less than 30 minutes left to play.
They since slumped to a disappointing 1-3 home loss to Biggleswade FC, and their match at AFC Dunstable last Saturday was postponed when the boiler broke down, meaning there would be no hot water for the players on a cold and wet day.
Kings Langley
These diaries featured Kings Langley when they visited Thame last April in their last game of the season when they were well beaten, with the 3-0 victory for Thame going a long way to help them avoiding relegation on the best points per game ratio of sides in the last relegation place in the step 4 leagues.
https://fatbearssportingdiaries.blogspot.com/2024/04/thame-united-3-0-kings-langley-att-124.html
After their 11th place finish last year, Kings Langley came into tonight’s match in 15th place with an 8-7-13 record, and were 4-2-8 away from the Orbital Fasteners Stadium.
Kings’ home form in 2025 had seen them beat relegation candidates North Leigh ( 3-0 ) and Leverstock Green ( 4-0 ), and draw 1-1 with Stotfold, but they fell to a 1-2 defeat to Aylesbury United last Saturday. In their last home game before Christmas, Kings caused an upset when they beat crypto-millionaire moneybags side Real Bedford 3-2.
Kings Langley’s four away league wins this season had come at Kidlington ( 1-0 ), North Leigh ( 2-0 ), Biggleswade FC ( 3-1 ) and Stotfold ( 3-0 ). Their two draws were at Leighton Town ( 2-2 ) and Hertford ( 0-0 ,) but they were on a run of 5 consecutive losses away from home.
Kings Langley’s average attendance so far this season was 155 compared 195 last season. Thame’s average attendance was 123.
Kings Langley Squad
From the side that played against Thame last April, the only player who remained in today’s squad was player-manager Jordan Parke. Midfielder Isaac Pedro was still with the club but not involved tonight whilst Darnell-Joe Luke was also a Kings player last season but missed the game last April.
Ex-Tottenham Hotspur under 23 winger Rayan Clarke and attacking midfielder Louie Collier are now playing for league leaders Berkhamsted FC, whilst midfielder Sonny French has returned to Aylesbury United. Long serving captain Jorell Johnson emigrated to the USA in the summer and keeper Gabriel Ortelli went back to Watford after being on loan.
Newcomers in the Kings Langley squad included defender James Towell, who played a handful of games for Thame at the end of last season but did not feature for Thame in the game against Kings Langley. Henry Burt had been a youth player for Luton and Grimsby, centre-back Charlie Lemba had joined from Arlesey Town and striker Lance Williams had previously played for Didcot, North Leigh and Leighton Town. Midfielder Declan Phillips was on loan from Wealdstone and defender Kobe Sinclair-Linton was on loan from MK Dons.
Kings’ top scorer with 11 goals in all competitions was Bradley Smith, who was on loan from Hemel Hempstead, whilst Clarke had scored 5 goals before his departure. Striker Jonathan Lawson and centre-back Alistair Gould had been on loan from Watford, and keeper Cian Moore had been on loan from Chesham United but the loan deals for all four had ended.
Kings Langley had since promoted from their youth squad, although striker Benjamin Kakembo, who scored 5 goals in 24 appearances for Thame last season, had joined from Tring and Bentley Assiedou had arrived on loan from Watford.
Matchday Information
Admission for today’s game was £10 for adults, £5 for OAPs, £3 for Under 16s and free for the Under 5s. A large cup of tea was £1.50 and a pre-match pint of Poretti was £5.10.
The journey from Kings Langley is 29 miles along the A41 and should normally take around 45 minutes.
The weather at the 19.45 kick-off was dry and 3 degrees, but the temperature was to drop by the end of the game.
Kings Langley were playing in navy blue shirts and shorts with yellow socks. Thame were in their usual red and black stripes.
Kings made one change to the side that lost to Aylesbury United on Saturday, with Williams replacing Burt. Thame made three changes to the side that lost last time out to Biggleswade, with Alexander, Greg Hackett and Ty Deacon coming back into the side at the expense of Oscar Lucey, Mark Riddick and Jefferson Louis.
Match Report
Like the recent mid-week game at Thame against Stotfold, the game kicked of nearly five minutes late. I don’t understand why referees can’t get the teams ready in time for a prompt start……….
Kings Langley started the game well and had most of the possession in the opening phases. In the 5th minute Parkes met a cross from the right beyond the far post with a left footed volley but the ex-Watford and Barnet man’s effort hit the bar and ran across the goalmouth before being cleared.
Thame gradually got into the match and Brayden Daniel won the game’s first corner for Thame. After being played short, the ball was eventually crossed into the 6 yards box but Thame centre-back Finlay Murray was crowded out before he could shoot. A minute later a long throw from Joshua Stranks was headed on by Dan West but the Kings defence were able to clear.
West then showed perseverance to force his way past two would be tacklers to release Hackett on the right and the floated cross was met by Deacon, but the header from 8 yards went narrowly over the bar.
The visitors then created a good move down the right wing, but Assiedou’s low cross was ahead of his team-mates and Thame keeper Matt Crowther had an easy dive onto the ball.
Shortly after at the other end, a dangerous looking pass from Alexander looked to put Daniel clear but Towell managed to get back and made a tremendous tackle to stop the danger.
With 20 minutes played a free kick from Alexander was delivered to beyond the far post where Deacon headed back across goal, but this time it was the Kings’ keeper who dived on the ball before a Thame leg could swing at it.
A cross from Williams was overhit and was well claimed by the Thame keeper after which West made ground down the right and crossed into the Kings Langley area where Daniel laid the ball back to Alexander, but the shot from the edge of the area was partially blocked and trickled through to keeper Adi Connolly.
A minute later Deacon played a delightful ball over Kings’ left-back Judd Farrant to send Hackett scampering down the right wing. Farrant was able to get back to attempt a challenge, but Hackett managed to get a cross in, and Daniel headed into the roof of the net from 6 yards. 1-0 with 26 minutes played.
Hackett then won the ball in the centre of the field, but Farrant made a vital interception to prevent the pass from reaching the unmarked Deacon. Shortly after, Parkes wriggled into the Thame area, but his shot hit a Thame defender in the face before being cleared.
Parkes was looking the most threatening player for the visitors, and another shot from the edge of the penalty area on the left-hand side was partially blocked by Curtis Brown before Murray cleared with a far from convincing hoof away.
Kings Langley continued to press for an equaliser and came close after winning a corner in the 33rd minute. A low drive from the edge of the box was pushed away by Crowther and the follow-up deflected off a Thame defender for another corner. After taking it short, Assiedou’s cross was well taken by Crowther.
A poor cross-field pass from Farrant went straight to Deacon who put Hackett in space on the right, but the cross was poor and straight at keeper Connolly. However, the ball went through the keeper’s hands, and West, not expecting the ball to reach him reacted late and could only head over the bar from close range.
A pass from Parkes deflected off the outstretched foot of Leo Galpin and reached Kakembo, and the striker turned to shoot from just outside the area, but he could only send his effort several yards wide.
Phillips did well to reach the Thame byline and his low ball from the left across the area reached Assiedou, who was thwarted by a good tackle from Stranks. Kings Langley reworked possession but a low cross from Towell was intercepted by Murray on the stretch and Thame cleared.
As the game moved towards halftime, Parkes was pulled back by Galpin and fell to the floor. From a distance it looked like the offence might have been just inside the Thame penalty area, but the free kick was given outside. Parkes got up to take the kick, and his effort was finger-tipped onto the crossbar by Crowther, but Kings centre-back Kieran Gaulthier was the first to react and his close range header hit the back of the net. 1-1 after 44 minutes.
The last piece of action in the first half saw Alexander stay down after a tackle. After a delay whilst the Thame player was being treated, the referee decided to end the first half. The treatment continued as the players headed to the dressing rooms, and Alexander was eventually carried off the field on a stretcher.
The first half had been even so a 1-1 scoreline was a fair reflection of the play.
Thame started the second period strongly and Stranks saw his drive strike a defender and go wide for a corner. Tutton’s flicked header went beyond the far post where Hackett’s return cross was headed off for another corner from which a first-time drive from Mcelroy deflected off the backside of Ben Casey for another corner. Tutton’s delivery was steered home at the near post to give Thame the lead. From where I sat it looked like Hackett had made the contact, but the Thame Twitter account gave the credit to Deacon. In any case, it was now 2-1 after 51 minutes.
Almost immediately afterwards and out of the blue, a snap long range shot from West bounced across the goalmouth and nestled into the far corner, past the despairing dive of Connolly. 3-1 with 53 minutes on the clock.
Thame now started to play with some swagger, confidentially passing the ball amongst themselves, and for a short period Kings Langley were in danger of being over-run. Daniel and Mcelroy combined nicely to send Daniel to the byline, but his low cross evaded everyone, and Farrant cleared.
The visitors gradually weathered the storm and started to enjoy the lion’s share of the possession but were unable to create any clear-cut chances. The Thame defenders appealed for offside against Parkes but he was being played onside by Galpin, but Murray was able to cut-off the ball across the face of the goal. Kakembo tried to run into the Thame area but was denied by a good tackle from Galpin.
Thame carelessly gave away possession outside of their penalty area and Farrant took advantage to run into the left-hand side of the area but his low ball across the face of the goal was too far ahead of Assiedou and went off for a goal kick.
With 74 minutes on the clock, Towell played a ball into the Thame area to Kakembo with his back to goal and with Murray in close attention, and when the striker was finally able to turn to take a shot, Murray was able to block, and the ball hit the side netting for a corner.
Thame looked to be content to sit on their lead and hit on the counterattack, and a 30-yard attempt from Brown skidded off the turf forcing Connolly to dive and turn it past the post for a corner. The set-piece was cleared only as far as Hackett, who sent a left-footed shot out of the ground. A couple of minutes later it was Daniel’s turn to send the ball onto the ring-road from long distance.
The closing stages were scrappy as Kings Langley searched for a way back into the game. but it was Thame who came closest to scoring the next goal, but substitute Lacey sent a 20 yard effort straight at Connolly.
As the game moved into added on time, a free kick by Ben Stallard was headed off for a corner for Kings by Louis, which was also headed away by Thame’s veteran journeyman. The referee finally blew the final whistle to give Thame a deserved victory and enable the frozen spectators to head off to somewhere warm.
After tonight’s results, Thame remained in 6th place but now only on goal difference behind Flackwell Heath as just three points separated third and sixth. After another away defeat, Kings Langley remained in 15th place.
Link To Online Programme : https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/files.pitchero.com%2Fclubs%2F13461%2FuQBkqCr7Somtoq8XNMFD_Match+Day+Programme+Kings+Langley1.pdf
Thame United : Crowther – Brown, Galpin, Murray, Stranks - Hackett ( Lucey ), West, Tutton, West, Alexander ( Mcelroy ) – Deacon ( Louis ), Daniel
Kings Langley : Connolly – Towell, Casey, Galthier, Farrant ( Sinclair-Linton ) – Assiedou ( Cain ), Williams ( Stallard ), Luke, Phillips ( Farquharson-Leigh ), Parkes – Kakembo
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