Town Thamed

FAIRFORD Town went down to a 3-0 home defeat to Thame on Saturday afternoon, with a second half double from the visitors wrapping up the victory.

Town boss Paul Braithwaite made changes to the line-up, with Javier Erviti and Alex Evans called into the starting eleven with Nathan Gambling dropping to midfield and Ashley Taylor unavailable.

The visitors took the lead on 17 minutes when a free-kick deep into the box was met by Brad Chalmers, whose looping header dropped across the goal into the back of the net over Luke Adams.

Another chance fell to Thame seven minutes before the break with Luke Ricketts latching onto a through ball but he hit a shot across goal which shaved the top of the crossbar before going out for a goal-kick.

Going in one goal down at the break, Braithwaite was forced into a change with Richard Knox being replaced by Ryan Merchant. Soon into the second period, Thame hit the all important second. From the edge of the area, Ben Gray hitting a speculative shot from outside of the box across goal which cannoned in off the far post.

Ben Saunders replaced Javier Erviti on 65 minutes before Spaniard Jon Gabilondo entered the action with 18 minutes remaining in place of Blackford. Fairford continued to press forward and had a spell of pressure with chances falling for Saunders and Henry Trass as time ticked on.

Thame added a third goal on 78 minutes with a tap in for Adam Rhodes from close range wrapping up the three points for the mid-table visitors.

Results elsewhere saw relegation rivals Witney surrender a lead late in the game to lose 3-2 against Flackwell Heath whilst Bracknell won against Cheltenham Saracens.

NEXT UP
Fairford travel to promotion chasers Shortwood United on Bank Holiday Monday.

Fairford Town: Adams; Blackford (Gabilondo ‘72), Evans, Williams, Murdoch; Bailey, Trass, Knox (Merchant h/t), Gambling; Erviti (Saunders ‘65), Grabe

Substitute not used: Bennett