Wealdstone 3 – 0 Thame Utd
Wealdstone3 - 0
Thame UnitedA COMFORTABLE win on Saturday in the end kept alive Wealdstone’s slender chance of the top six placing which ensures promotion.
But for long periods the game had the “end of season” feel to it, as Thame frustrated the home side and Stones failed to show the guile to make the breakthrough.
Milan Barisic, in the visitor’s goal, was the first half hero for his club.
Twice the big goalkeeper kept out Danny Tilbury strikes with excellent saves. The first was from a 25-yard piledriver destined for the top corner, followed by a save from a six-yard shot that Richard Jolly, following up but off balance, was unable to direct on target.
After surviving this early pressure, Thame grew comfortable in defence, but their lack of any firepower up front meant that they never posed any threat to the Wealdstone goal.
Barisic again saved well when tipping over Gary McKeown’s curling free-kick after 50 minutes and it was soon after this that Williams and Jones finally tested Wealdstone goalkeeper Andy Carter, though not seriously.
The stalemate was finally broken 15 minutes from time when Barisic, at full stretch, could only parry Dave Ryan’s shot from the edge of the area following a corner and Jolly was on hand to score from close range.
Despite protests from the keeper, presumably for offside, the goal stood and it was a case of hero turned villain as the game entered its final minutes when Barisic spilled a shot from McKeown and Marvin Morgan was on hand to force the ball over the line at the second attempt.
Ben Alexander added the third moments later, sweeping in Morgan’s low cross to the near post, but unfortunately the win was turned sour when the game ended with a mass brawl following a crude tackle followed by a punch by Avery on Alexander.
The referee could have chosen a number of different punishments, as so many people became involved, but finally settled on the dismissal of Thame’s Mills along with Morgan and Alexander.
Avery received no punishment at all.