March 15, 2025
Today’s match saw a meeting of 6th placed Thame against 11th placed Beaconsfield Town. After their victory over Aylesbury United last Saturday Thame had moved in to 5th place, but whilst they were overcoming Oxford City on penalties in the Oxfordshire Senior Cup on Tuesday evening, Hadley’s 1-1 draw at AFC Dunstable took them above Thame on goal difference, albeit having played a game more.
Beaconsfield Town
Beaconsfield is a town in Buckinghamshire with a population of around 12,000. Its football team was formed in 1994 as Beaconsfield SYCOB, with SYCOB coming from Slough Youth Club Old Boys who merged with Beaconsfield United. The name was changed in 2017 to Beaconsfield Town.
Starting in the Spartan League, SYCOB joined the Spartan South Midlands League in 1997 and won promotion to the Southern League Division One East after winning the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division in 2003/04. Relegation followed at the end of 2006/07, but SYCOB only spent one season back at step 5 before winning promotion again.
Newly renamed Beaconsfield Town won the Southern League South, East title in 2017/18 to move up to step 3 for the first time in their history, but were relegated at the end of 2023/24, finishing 4th from bottom on goal difference.
Home is Holloways Park and the club’s nickname is The Rams. Their first-choice colours are all red.
My one trip to Holloways Park ( or Holloway’s Park as it was known then before the apostrophe was dropped ! ) was in November 2013 to watch a Southern League Division One Central match against Northwood, which Beaconsfield lost 0-2 and missed a penalty. They were still known as SYCOB at the time. Looking at the teams listed on the programme, the only name that rings any bells now for either side was Beaconsfield forward Brian Haule, who went on to be a prolific scorer for Aylesbury FC and Risborough Rangers.
Beaconsfield This Season
Beaconsfield came into today’s game with a 10-11-10 record to sit in 11th position, 14 points behind Thame. Away from home they had a decent 5-6-3 record.
Beaconsfield comfortably won their opening two league matches of the season but if they thought they would have a procession to return to step 3 they had a rude awakening in the third weekend of the season when they were dumped out of the FA Cup 0-5 at Thame. They also crashed out of the FA Trophy at the first hurdle, going down 0-1 at AFC Croydon.
In mid-week Beaconsfield lost a home Bucks and Berks Senior Cup Semi-Final 1-2 to Flackwell Heath, but prior to that they had been unbeaten in 8 league games, with 5 wins and 3 draws.
Their three league away defeats were at Leighton Town ( 0-3 ), Hadley ( 1-3 ) and Welwyn Garden City ( 0-1 ) but they were unbeaten away since late November. However, they only had two home matches left from their last eight games, and including today still had to travel to four of the top six.
When the two sides met back in November, Thame came away with a precious 1-0 victory after being outplayed for most of the game until Curtis Brown struck the winner in the 88th minute.
The Rams average home attendance this season was 121.
Beaconsfield Squad
Ex-Slough, Kings Langley and Harrow Borough Irish winger Joe Lawal was the top scorer with 12 goals, followed by ex-Peterborough United youth player Joshua Marcon on 9, and ex-Binfield, Brentwood and FC Romania German born centre-forward Manu Oke-William with 6.
Ex-Sheffield United, Burton Albion and Northampton Town midfielder Matty Harriott made 15 appearances for Thame last season whilst centre-back Jacques Kpohomouh rejoined the club after a short spell with Real Bedford.
The Rams manager was ex-Scunthorpe, Barnsley, Chesterfield & Port Vale midfielder Sam Togwell.
Matchday Information
According to AA route planner, the journey from Holloway’s Park to Thame’s ASM Stadium is 27 miles and should normally take half an hour.
Admission for today’s game was £10 for adults, £5 for OAPs, £3 for Under 16s and free for the Under 5s. A large pre-match cup of tea was £1.50 and team-sheets were available at the turnstile.
The weather at the 15.00 kick off time was sunny but a chilly 7 degrees. A pair of Red Kites were patrolling the skies above the ASM.
Beaconsfield made two changes from the side that beat Welwyn Garden City 3-1 last Saturday with Charlie Smith and Troy Silvera missing out through injury, with ex-Harrow Borough right-back Ben Tricker and ex-Braintree and Leiston left back Oliver Saunders coming into the side.
Thame made three changes from Tuesday night, with Oscar Lucey, Finlay Murray and Dan West starting side and Jefferson Louis, Josh Stranks and Ethan Lack all dropping to the bench.
Beaconsfield were playing in a change kit of all sky blue, whilst Thame were in their usual red and black stripes.
Match Report
Like many games at the ASM this season, kick-off was a few minutes behind the scheduled time, but eventually Beaconsfield kicked off playing with a stiff breeze at their backs but the sun in their eyes.
Almost immediately Saunders forced the first corner of the match for Beaconsfield, playing the ball off Hackett, and after a scramble in the 6-yard box, Oke-William mis-kicked in front of goal, and keeper Matt Crowther claimed the loose ball.
Marcon then robbed Curtis Brown just inside the Thame half, but the Thame player regained possession with a strong shoulder change which sent Marcon tumbling, but the referee said “Play on”.
A cross from Tricker caught the wind and drifted harmlessly off for a goal kick, and a minute later Beaconsfield keeper Tommy Dymott, under no pressure, sliced his kick into touch. Brown then intercepted a pass intended for Marcon and fed Greg Hackett, but the attempted through ball for Ty Deacon was cut out by Luke Neville, who knew very little about it, the ball hitting him on the body as he swung a leg at the ball.
Brown then showed a poor first touch for Lawal to take the ball and run into the Thame area, but Lewis Thorne made an excellent sliding tackle to end the danger.
After 12 minutes a long throw from Kpohomouh, bounced across the 6-yard line but Master Sankoh, clearly not a Grandmaster, was unable to connect, and the ball rolled on to Crowther.
Beaconsfield were enjoying a good start to the match, and Brown needed to foul Saunders to prevent the left-back getting clear. The free kick was threatening but Thorne did well to head away.
Shortly after, the referee gave a throw-in to Beaconsfield close to the half-way line, but the Thame bench disagreed with the decision and made their views loud and clear. The referee was forced to go over to the Thame bench to give them a good talking to.
With 20 minutes played Lawal made a good run to the right-hand byline and his pull back was stopped by Murray’s outstretched foot.
Play then became scrappy as Thame struggled with the elements, with goal-kicks and long balls being held up in the breeze and then having difficulty in bring the bouncing balls under control.
The first time Thame were seen as an attacking threat came in the 26th minute. Jack Tutton’s free kick was played to the angle of the Beaconsfield penalty area where Murray won the header but when the ball reached Deacon, the forward’s flick over his shoulder went high in the air and keeper Dymott had an easy catch.
A slack pass from Brayden Daniel went straight to Saunders who embarked on a 50-yard run only to be brought down near the left-hand byline by Brown. Despite the tight angle, Marcon went for goal, but Crowther made an overly flamboyant push over the bar. Thame needed to clear the ball three times as The Rams kept pumping the ball back into the area.
Beaconsfield continued to press and a long range left-footed effort from Saunders bounced awkwardly in front of Crowther, but the keeper was able to hold on.
Another goal kick from Crowther was held up in the wind, but this time Deacon was able to bring under control and laid off to Hackett, who cut inside the covering defence, but his 20-yard attempt was blocked by Smith. Tutton latched onto the loose ball but his attempted incisive pass for Deacon was fractionally over hit and Dymott was able to gather.
Beaconsfield finally opening scoring to take a deserved lead with a wonderful flowing move. Lawal went marauding down the right wing and pulled back to Sankoh who played a first-time forward pass to Macron on the edge of the area with his back to goal. Macron laid the ball back to Harriott, who struck left footed from 25 yards into the bottom corner, giving Crowther no chance, and to score against his former club. 0-1 after 36 minutes.
Beaconsfield should have doubled their lead a minute later. Lawal won a corner off Lucey, which bounced across the goal to Oke-William unmarked a few yards out. It looked like he must score, but the contact was poor, and Crowther was able to make the save.
Lawal then spun on the edge of the Thame penalty area, but his left footed shot was straight at Crowther. Lawal then raced into the Thame area and laid off to Marcon, who shot across the face of the goal went inches wide, as Oke-William slid in at the back post and was unable to apply a finishing touch. It was a lucky escape for the home side.
Beaconsfield continued to poor forward and on the stroke of half-time Oke-William put a low ball from the right over the bar from close range, but the linesman’s flag was raised for offside. In added on time, Thame left back Lucey suffered an injury and needed to be replaced.
At half time, Beaconsfield led by one goal, but probably should have been two or three goals ahead. Thame had been poor, and didn’t seem to know how to play against a stiff breeze, but all credit to Beaconsfield.
Thame made a second change at the interval, with Leo Galpin replacing Brown, and Thorne moving to right-back. Also, Hackett and Daniel swopped wings.
Playing against the wind didn’t initially seem to affect the visitors as Lawal made a good run to the right-hand byline and his pull back looked to have given Marcon an opportunity to shoot, but a faint touch from Murray took the ball agonisingly away from the ex-Peterborough youngster.
A corner from Marcon was met at the near post by Tricker but his glancing header produced a good low save from Crowther.
Daniel made ground on the right wing and played the ball to Deacon inside The Rams’ area, who spread play to Hackett on the left, but the winger stepped back inside only to wildly slice his shot many yards wide for a goal kick. It was a good chance.
Lawal then played a give and go with Sankoh but Murray was covering to concede a corner, from which Oke-William’s attempted overhead kick went high in the air, and Crowther was fouled as he made the punch away.
Thame’s best chance of the match so far came in the 55th minute as Stranks crossed from the left byline to the near post, but Deacon’s flick on saw the chance go begging as Thame had no-one at the back post for a tap in.
Deacon then prodded forward for West to run on to, but Dymott was alert to come off his line to gather.
Another nice move from the visitors saw Lawal run down the left wing and play back to Marcon, who teed up Sankoh to shoot from 20 yards, but the attempt was blocked. Beaconsfield recycled possession, leading to Marcon having a go from the edge of the penalty area circle, and the ball arrowed into the bottom corner past Crowther’s despairing dive to his right. A good finish made the score 0-2 with 61 minutes played.
Thame have made a habit this season of coming from behind but could they do it again ? Deacon failed to make contact with his head to an inviting Hackett cross, leading to Kpohomouh heading off for a corner, which led to another, which was headed wide at the far post.
The only yellow card was shown in the 65th minute as Tricker challenged Deacon and fell to the floor, and then decided to grab hold of the ball to prevent the Thame forward from moving into the Beaconsfield area. Hackett took the free kick which sailed over everyone and into the top far corner and into the net. Intended or a fluke ? It didn’t matter as it was now 1-2 in the 66th minute.
Thame made a triple substitution which produced immediate rewards. A long free kick was headed across the Beaconsfield penalty area for Lack to take a touch and then steer into the bottom corner from just inside the area. A neat finish with probably his first touch of the game. 2-2 with 70 minutes played.
It was now all Thame, as Galpin waltzed from the halfway line past two would be tacklers, only to be unceremoniously brought down 30 yards from goal. Galpin got up to take the free kick himself, sending the ball over the defensive wall, but Dymott made an excellent diving save to push the ball away from the base of the post. The loose ball went to Sankoh, but Hackett made a tremendous tackle to win the ball, only for the referee to surprisingly deem it to be foul and a free kick for Beaconsfield.
Louis then headed on for Rocko Tamplin to run clear of the Beaconsfield backline, but his shot was pushed into the side netting by Dymott. Hackett was then fouled on the edge of the penalty area, and he too got up to take the free kick. This time the shot went to side of the goal protected by the goalkeeper, but Dymott made a sorry mess of trying to push the ball away, and the ball went through his hands and into the corner of the goal. After making a few decent saves, a goalkeeping howler had given Thame the lead, and they had turned the game around to lead 3-2 after 78 minutes with 3 goals in 12 minutes.
After having looked pretty clueless of how to play against the wind, Thame now showed they could play with the wind in their favour, playing the ball down the channels for their runners, and pegging Beaconsfield into their own half. Louis was also using all of his experience to win corners and throws, and Hackett’s corners were now curling dangerously with the wind towards the far post, and Beaconsfield were having big problems in coping.
Galpin took a free kick inside the Thame half, which caught the wind and Dymott had to back pedal and catch above his head. As the game moved into added on time, Lack played a delicate chip towards the far post, which Tamplin headed down and across goal, forcing Dymott into a decent diving save, pushing the ball away as it bounced.
Deacon showed good skill close to the touchline to put Hackett clear, but with two players up in support, Hackett went looking for his hat-trick only to blaze over the bar. It was the last kick of the game as the referee blew for full time before play could restart.
This was a proverbial game of two halves, with Beaconsfield looking much the better team in the first half, but Thame were unstoppable in the final 30 minutes. Thame moved back up to 5th in the table, whilst Beaconsfield remained in 11th.
Link To Online Programme : https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/files.pitchero.com%2Fclubs%2F13461%2FR1qb60QbRMyEAPdwlJg8_Match+Day+Programme+Beaconsfield+15th+March.pdf
Thame United : Crowther – Brown ( Galpin ), Thorne ( Tamplin ), Murray, Lucey ( Stranks ) – Hackett, West ( Lack ), Riddick, Tutton, Daniel ( Louis ) – Deacon
Beaconsfield Town : Dymott – Tricker, Neville, Kpohomouh, Saunders ( Lalustani ) – Sankoh ( Grant ), Harriott, Raffie - Lawal, Oke-William, Marcon
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