April 19, 2025
The battle for the promotion play-off places in Southern League Division One Central and a top 5 finish was coming to the boil. With two weeks of the regular season left, Thame came into today’s match in fourth place whilst Flackwell Heath were in third, three points ahead of Thame and having played one game fewer. However, fifth placed Barton Rovers were level on points but behind Thame on goals scored but with a game in hand, and sixth placed Hadley were three points behind with a game in hand and a better goal difference to Thame.
Thame’s final two games were both at home, but after playing Flackwell Heath they had to then face Champions Real Bedford. They probably needed at least four points from these tough fixtures to have a chance of a place in the promotion play-offs but even that would not be enough if Hadley and Barton Rovers won all of their remaining matches. Thame’s destiny was no longer in their own hands.
Thame had played seven matches since these diaries covered their 3-2 home victory over Beaconsfield Town. The two home matches had seen a 0-0 draw against promotion rivals Hadley and a 2-0 victory over Enfield FC. The five away games saw draws at Stotfold ( 2-2 ) and AFC Dunstable ( 0-0 ), a 2-3 loss at Northwood Town, but wins at Leighton Town ( 2-1 ) and Leverstock Green ( 1-0 ).
Flackwell Heath
Flackwell Heath is a village on the outskirts of High Wycombe with an estimated population of around 6,000.
Its football team were founded in 1907 and play at the 2,000 capacity Wilks Parks, which has 150 seats. Flackwell Heath normally play in all red, and their nickname is The Heathens.
In 2023/24, Flackwell Heath were champions of the step 5 Combined Counties Premier Division North to earn promotion to the step 4 Southern League Division One Central.
Watching Flackwell Heath
My first visit to Wilks Parks was in 2002/03 to see an FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round tie against Crawley Town. At the time Flackwell Heath were in step 4 Isthmian League Division Three and looking to qualify for the First Round Proper for the first time in their history. Crawley were in step 2 Southern League Premier, and a crowd of 567 saw Crawley achieve a 4-1 victory.
The Reds opened the scoring after just 3 minutes through Ellis Hooper and Ernie Cooksey added a second in the 18th minute. The game effectively ended as a contest when Flackwell had two players sent off in the opening 35 minutes after over robust challenges from Gary Wiltshire and Matt Flint. Ex-Wycombe Wanderer Mo Harkin added another goal to make it 0-3 at half time. Crawley took the foot off the gas in the second half and Gavin Mernagh pulled one back for Flackwell 6 minutes from time, but that stirred Crawley to add a fourth from Stewart Holmes in the final minute.
Crawley went on to beat Tiverton Town after a replay in the 1st Round Proper before losing 1-2 at home to Dagenham & Redbridge in front of a crowd of 4,516.
My second trip to Wilks Park was to see a match that didn’t involve Flackwell Heath. In 2007/08 Marlow United were ground sharing at Flackwell in order to play in the Hellenic League and I watched them play a dull 0-0 draw with Thame, but the bar was nice and the staff friendly !
The other time I had previously seen Flackwell Heath was in 2010/11, when the Heathens became only the third side to play at Thame United’s newly opened ASM Stadium. Thame edged to a 1-0 win in a meeting between two middle table sides in the Hellenic League, Stuart Braun scoring the only goal of the game.
Flackwell Heath This Season
Flackwell Heath have enjoyed an impressive season on their return to step 4, and started the day with a 23-6-8 record, scoring 84 goals in the process. Away from home they had an excellent 10-3-5 record.
Last time out Flackwell Heath were held to a 0-0 home draw by Welwyn Garden City, which extend their current unbeaten league run to 6 matches, since a 0-2 loss at promotion rivals Berkhamsted.
Flackwell Heath didn’t win a game in February, starting with a spectacular 5-5 draw at leaders Real Bedford, followed by away losses at Barton Rovers ( 1-2 ), Leighton Town ( 2-3 ) and Ware ( 1-2 ).
In Cup competitions, Flackwell Heath crashed out of the FA Cup in their first match of season, losing 0-1 at home to step 5 Aylesbury Vale Dynamos. The Heathens did better in the FA Trophy against step 4 opposition, winning 2-1 at Farnham Town of the Isthmian League South Central and then hammering Isthmian League South East side Broadbridge Heath 6-1. However, they exited the competition on penalties after a 1-1 draw with step 3 side Bishop’s Stortford.
In the Bucks and Berks Senior Cup, Flackwell Heath reached the final after wins over Didcot, Aylesbury United, Binfield and Beaconsfield Town, but were beaten 1-3 by Bracknell.
When these two sides met back in November, Flackwell won 2-0, thanks to goals from Matthew Ayres and Wiktor Makowski
The Heathens average home attendance this season was 242.
Flackwell Heath Squad
The star player for the Heathens this season had been Polish striker Wiktor Makowski, who had scored 29 league goals plus 6 more in cups. Makowski played 10 matches last season for Thame and had previously played for Risborough Rangers.
Ex-Risborough Rangers forward Michael Harding was next in the scoring charts with 10 league goals, followed by midfielders Jack Shakespeare and Matthew Ayres on 8 and 6 goals respectively.
Captain Mark Nisbit had a long career playing for Maidenhead United and Slough Town, keeper Carl Dennison previously played for Chalfont St Peter and Burnham, whilst defender Harry Mepham played for Thame for 6 seasons. Centre-back Callum Mapley counted Beaconsfield Town, Aylesbury United and Thame amongst his former clubs.
Midfielder Louis Walsh was with Oxford City earlier this season, scoring four goals in an FA Cup tie against Willand Rovers, but has since played for Bishop’s Stortford and Gosport Borough before joining Flackwell Heath. Walsh was another Heathens player who had previously played for Thame.
Matchday Information
According to AA route planner, the journey from Flackwell Heath to Thame’s ASM Stadium is 24 miles and should normally take half an hour. A healthy number of Heathens fans had made the journey.
Admission for today’s game was £10 for adults, £5 for OAPs, £3 for Under 16s and free for the Under 5s. A pre-match pint of Poretti was £5.20 and a large white wine £6. Team-sheets were available at the turnstile.
The weather at the 15.00 kick off time was sunny and 15 degrees.
Flackwell Heath made three changes from the side that drew with Welwyn GC, with captain Benjamin Stallard, Mapley and Walsh replacing Louis Bouwers, James Ayres and Nisbet.
Thame also made three changes from the side that won at Leverstock Green at the weekend with Mark Riddick, Dan West and Finlay Murray coming in for Curtis Brown, Leo Galpin and Ty Deacon.
Flackwell Heath were playing in a change kit of all yellow, whilst Thame were in their usual red and black stripes. In a slight curio, between the matchday squads of both sides, there were six players with either Louis or Lewis in their name !
Match Report
Flackwell kicked off towards the ring-road end with a stiff breeze at their backs. The opening phases were scrappy as both sides settled into the game, with the first piece of action coming in the fourth minute when Jack Tutton’ free kick into the Flackwell area was headed by Mark Riddick for Greg Hackett to shoot a couple of feet wide from close to the penalty spot.
The referee then did well to refrain from immediately blowing for a free-kick when Brayden Daniel was fouled just inside the Flackwell half, but then gave the free kick when Hackett was tackled. West’s drilled kick from around 35 yards was tipped over the bar by Dennison for corner, which was cleared and gave Harding the opportunity to run down the left wing. However, a good tackle from Lewis Thorne ended the move as Harding looked to cut into the Thame penalty area, and won a goal kick for the home side.
The visitors were starting to get into their stride, but after a cross into the Thame area was headed away, Shakespeare totally mis-kicked when attempting a 25 yard effort.
Dennison then needed to leave his area to get to Hackett’s long ball ahead of Tutton, who clattered into the keeper after the ball was cleared. A lengthy delay ensued whilst Dennison needed treatment, and Tutton was fortunate to avoid a yellow card.
A collector’s item occurred in the 15th minute when the referee awarded a foul-throw against Flackwell right-back Ryan Avery, but the visitors opened the scoring a minute later. There didn’t appear to be much danger as Makowski played a pass forward to Harding on the edge of the Thame area, but he turned between two defenders and sent a fabulous left-footed shot curling across goal into the far corner, giving Matt Crowther no chance. 0-1 in the 16th minute.
Thame looked for an immediate response but after some nice interchanging of passes between Hackett and Tutton, the final pass was cut-out by Lewis Pegg.
The impressive Harding made another dangerous run down the left wing before laying the ball back to left-back Lewis Patrick, but the cross was tamely headed over the bar by Makowski. Dennison was then called upon to head away outside his area, this time ahead of Thame’s veteran journeyman Jefferson Louis.
With 26 minutes played, Matthew Ayres went on a mazy run across the Thame 18-yard line, but his cross was headed away by Murray.
Thame won another free-kick midway inside the Flackwell half after a foul on Tutton. The ball bounced around the Flackwell area before Patrick was able to clear, and was fouled in the process.
Thame came close to grabbing an equaliser in the 31st minute. Louis’ pass gave Daniel the chance to run into the Flackwell area but his shot was blocked by a sliding defender. Daniel reworked possession and teed up Tutton, but his low drive was brilliantly pushed away one-handed by Dennison diving to his right. Flackwell quickly broke and it looked dangerous for Thame until Makowski fouled Murray inside the Thame area to end the move.
Six minutes later the visitors had a glorious chance to double their lead. Harding’s through ball lacked power and should have been cut-out by Murray, but the ball went under the Thame defender’s foot, allowing Makowski to run clear with a 1 vs 1 against the Thame keeper. However, Crowther bravely blocked the close range shot with his chest, and then from a tight angle Makowski put the rebound into the side netting.
The first yellow card of the match was produced in the 38th minute. Hackett got past Mapley on the left-hand touchline only to cynically be brought down by his former team-mate. Tutton’s free kick was headed into the 6-yard box, where keeper Dennison strangely opted to kick clear rather than dive on the ball.
More cards arrived three minutes later after Tutton committed a foul. This led to Shakespeare running 20 yards to push over Tutton and start a melee. When order was resumed the referee showed cards to Thame’s Riddick and Ethan Lack for their responses to the handbags. Shakespeare was very fortunate to avoid a red card for his actions, and by receiving just a yellow, unlike Macbeth, had probably got away with murder.
With temperatures rising Hackett committed a bad foul on Ayres but it wasn’t clear if a yellow card was shown. Ayres took the free-kick, which was headed on to Makowski, but the Heathens top scorer sent the chance well wide from 8 yards, and it didn’t look like an effort from a marksman with 35 goals to his name this season.
West went to take a free-kick just outside the Thame penalty area but was prevented from doing so as Makowski deliberately ran right across him. West responded by giving Makowski a shove as he stood in front of the ball.It was perhaps Much Ado About Nothing !
As the players headed down the tunnel for the dressing room, Flackwell probably just about deserved their 1-0 lead, but despite playing some nice football they were increasingly deploying the dark arts and complaining to the officials.
Thame started the second half strongly and Lack made a surging run from half-way and found Hackett, but the attempt to release Daniel was intercepted. Avery then made a sad attempt to win a free-kick close to the Thame corner flag but the referee ignored his poor dive. Many referees would have booked the Flackwell player for his simulation though.
Makowski played a nice give and go with Patrick, and the return pass put him clear but a good tackle from Joshua Stranks conceded a corner. Crowther dropped Ayres’ delivery but the keeper’s blushes were spared as the loose ball was hoofed away.
The visitors were enjoying a good spell and Shakespeare found Makowski on the edge of the Thame area, but West’s super tackle averted the danger. Harding then played a ball down the right-hand channel for Makowski to run onto and from my seat it looked like the Polish striker had been brought down by West. However, the referee deemed it to have been a fair tackle and waved play on. Had he blown for the foul then West would probably have been shown a red card.
Thame should have equalised a minute later. A long free-kick was met by Riddick beyond the far post and the header went back across goal to the unmarked Tutton 4 yards out, but the Thame midfielder’s side-footed effort hit Dennison as he desperately spread himself.
As the game became increasingly end to end, Shakespeare wriggled his way into the Thame area and his pull back reached Ayres 10 yards from goal, but his shot was superbly tipped over the bar by Crowther. In the space of two minutes both sides had missed great chances, and it felt more goals were coming.
In the 61st minute Makowski went to ground far to easily and started rolling around on the floor. When the referee allowed play to continue, Makowski got to his feet and started abusing the linesman. Shortly after Avery entered the referee’s notebook for cynically kicking the ball away as Thame tried to take a quick free-kick.
Two minutes later a bizarre offside decision was made. Daniel made no attempt to go for a long ball out of the defence, clearly standing in an offside position. However, Thame substitute Deacon ran from an onside position to try and reach the ball, forcing Mapley to retreat and then play the ball, but it went straight to Brayden, who was by now in an onside position. Surprisingly the linesman raised his flag, and the free-kick was given !
Flackwell’s Louis Walsh was spotted for just about the first time in the match, making a surging run down the left-hand touchline, but his cross was put out for a corner. Thame substitute Tyrone Lewthwaite then made a good run and put Riddick in space on the left, but the cross into the area was slightly fumbled by Dennison, who gathered cleanly at the second attempt.
After 68 minutes, West chopped down Harding when the Flackwell striker was about to shoot from the edge of the Thame area, and was shown the yellow card. However, Ayres overhit the free-kick and Joshua Light was unable to head back into the danger zone from beyond the far post.
At the other end, Riddick’s defence splitting pass put Lewthwaite clear on the left, but after cutting back inside the shot was blocked, and Mapley was fouled as Daniel attempted to reach the rebound.
The game’s crucial moment arrived in the 74th minute. Another incisive pass from Riddick put Lewthwaite clear with a 1 vs 1 with the Flackwell keeper. However, the linesman raised his flag for a very, very, tight offside decision and Thame were very upset by this decision. I don’t know what was said, but Hackett was shown a straight red card and Deacon a yellow.
With Thame still reeling from being reduced to 10 men, Harding broke clear and shot from just inside the Thame area. Crowther made another good save to push the shot away but unfortunately for the Thame keeper Walsh was following up to put the ball into the empty net. With score moving to 0-2 after 77 minutes it looked game over.
Despite the points seeming in the bag, Shakespeare still felt the need for some more acting but the referee hadn’t read the script and play continued.
Thame were resorting to long throws from substitute Brown into the Flackwell area. One of the them pinballed around the 6-yard box. Again, Dennison opted to kick rather than claim the ball, and his wild hack went straight to Lewthwaite, who volleyed narrowly over the bar.
With a man advantage and Thame ploughing forward, Flackwell had plenty of space when they had the ball, and Makowski had acres of space on the right wing, but his ball into the area evaded the chunky Dylan Kearney, and Thame were able to clear.
Out of the blue, Thame pulled a goal back. Lewthwaite picked up a loose ball on the edge of the Flackwell area and as the defenders backed off, the substitute curled a delightful shot inside the far post. 1-2 with 87 minutes played.
Thame poured forward in search of an equaliser. Deacon couldn’t quite control a long pass from Oscar Lucey than would have put him clear on goal, and another long throw was unconvincingly punched off for a corner by Dennison. The corner was drilled low into the 6-yard box, and after a scramble, the referee awarded Thame a penalty for handball with 93 minutes on the clock
Tutton stepped up to take the kick, but his effort was at a nice height for the keeper, and Dennison dived to his right to push the spot kick away to preserve his side’s lead.
Flackwell counterattacked and Kearney saw Crowther off his line and attempted to chip him from 40 yards, but the ball bounced narrowly wide.
There was still time for one final chance for Thame to snatch a draw. Another throw was launched into the mixer, Tutton laid off for Lewthwaite to shoot for goal, but the attempted was horribly sliced well wide, and the chance was gone.
The referee blew for full-time once the ball was back in play, and Flackwell were able to celebrate their place in the promotion play-offs. Thame now need an unlikely set of results to finish in 5th place.
Link To Online Programme : https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/files.pitchero.com%2Fclubs%2F13461%2F9JjIlUGS0qm3MGrU1yt1_Match+Day+Programme+Flackwell+Heath.pdf
Thame United : Crowther – Thorne ( Tamplin ), West, Murray, Stranks ( Lucey ) – Hackett, Riddick, Tutton, Lack ( Deacon ) – Louis ( Lewthwaite ), Daniel ( Brown )
Flackwell Heath : Dennison - Avery, Mapley, Pegg, Patrick ( Bouwers, McGuinness ) – M. Ayers, Stallard, Shakespeare ( Light ), Walsh ( J. Ayres ) – Makowski, Harding ( Kearney )
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