Undone at the death

Thame United scored late to snatch victory in this encounter, but the winning goal was surrounded in controversy as Kempston appeared to be attempting to put the ball out of play so that a player could receive treatment.

Thame skipper Dan West’s late winner settled this game, that was in doubt as the referee needed to inspect the pitch and consult with both managers before going ahead.

Thame were ahead in the sixth minute as Ryan Blake found some space following an unconvincing clearance from Kempston, his low shot squeezing in at the near post past Carl Knox. The same player then wasted a chance midway through the half, lashing the ball wide. Rovers then forced Thame keeper Craig Hill into action, first from Stefan Bailey’s long shot that required a sprawling catch, then a Robbie Goodman effort from the edge of the box was dealt with. Two minutes before the break, Kempston got the break their endeavour deserved. A Max Marsh cross was flicked on by Bailey for Jake Newman to nod past Hill and level the scores. It was Newman’s seventh strike in seven games and his forty ninth for Rovers in his two spells with the club. The two sides went in deservedly level at the break.

Rovers had the brighter of the second half, Sam Johnson – just back from suspension – forced a corner on the hour mark after some tricky wing play saw him cut in and unleash a shot. From the corner, Ben Baker had a curling shot from the edge of the box saved. Moments later, Thame thought they had scored but their shot from a corner was manfully blocked on the line by a host of Rovers bodies. Sam Johnson hit the post before Jake Newman nodded a late chance wide. But the game changed with four minutes to go. With Stefan Bailey prone on the turf, Kempston halted an attack and appeared to be kicking to ball toward the touchline. A Thame player nicked in and played the ball forward, Dan West scored from the resulting breakaway, with Bailey still down and subsequently forced to come off the field. Although playing to the whistle, there was a sense that the Thame players were unsporting in their efforts.

The result leaves Rovers in eighteenth place in the table ahead of another away trip next weekend, to promotion chasing Berkhamsted.

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