2s win a 7-goal thriller!

Thame 1s 3 – 4 Maidenhead 2s
Maidenhead scores: Aran Wellman, Marcus Foley (2) and Oli Lovegrove

Maidenhead 2s bounced back from a humbling at home to Wycombe 2s by winning a 7-goal thriller away to high-flying Thame 1s.
Maids opened the game cautiously with a half-court press, looking to frustrate Thame and ensure they did not grab an early lead. Maids soaked up the initial pressure from Thame and then struck on the counter. Mathieu Lemonnier played the ball through to Aran Wellman, who rounded the keeper to score and give Maids s 1-0 lead.

The lead didn’t last long as Thame were given a questionable short-corner for a deliberate foot outside the D and converted the subsequent corner with a drag-flick. From the restart, they pressed Maids into a mistake and struck to take the lead.
The game then continued at an even pace until Thame force a third from another short corner. However, Maids continued to work hard in a high press started to force the game as Thame tired towards the end of the half. Aran had a second ruled out as the umpire felt his looping shot was dangerous and going wide before being deflected in, but Maids were eventually rewarded on the stroke off half-time as Marcus Foley slotted a corner away to make it 3-2.

The second half started in a similar pattern as Maids soaked up Thame pressure and then looked to hit them on the break. From a fast break, shots from Chris Miall and Nick Lloyd were saved by the Thame keeper before Marcus put the loose ball into the corner of the goal to even matters at 3-3. Shortly afterwards Maids took the lead for good another long aerial from Marcus caused carnage in the Thame defence and allowed Oli Lovegrove to pass the ball into an unguarded goal.

Maids then set about defending heroically for the last 20 minutes (most of which was played without a sub after Mathieu left the pitch with a potential broken elbow after being struck at a short-corner), including 2 minutes without Oli after he was green-carded for cynically kicking the ball away. Maids soaked up all of the Thame pressure, and anything that did get through was tidied up by Anthony Brayshaw and Ian Osbon as Maids hung on for a priceless 3-points.

Next up, Maids return home to take on Eastcote in a vital match.

MoM – joint honours to Anthony for his defending and Marcus for his two goals and pressure-releasing aerials.
DoD – Marcus for the exploding water-bottle