WGC downed in a formbook upset

Welwyn Garden City 1 - 2 Thame United

Welwyn Garden City lost their unbeaten league record in a lack-lustre display that completely upset the Southern League Div 1 Central formbook at Herns Lane on Saturday.

The Citizens, lying third prior to kick-off, went down in the league for the first time this season to a Thame United side with just one point from their opening four games before this clash. But the Oxfordshire side deserved their victory in face of a WGC display that lacked any of the flair and invention of their exciting midweek cup win over Hitchin or the steel and grit of their outstanding away win at Halesowen in their last league outing.

WGC welcomed back Carl Mensah to defence after a one match suspension, allowing Lee Close to switch to midfield in place of the unavailable Jesse Walklin, whose battling qualities were badly missed.

The tone for the game – also watched by a pitifully low crowd of just 85 - very disappointing in view of WGC’s fine start to the season – was set in the opening 15 minutes, where nothing of note happened.

Just after the quarter hour, WGC had their first opportunity when Close found skipper Dave Keenleyside, who fired a low effort just past a post. Four minutes later, Thame were ahead. WGC central defender Will McClelland missed a high ball into the area, new Thame signing Ryan Blake outmuscled Jack Bradshaw down the right and pulled over a low cross that left the visitors’ top scorer Dan West with a tap-in for 1-0.

WGC were level in six minutes, McClelland making amends by rising well on the back post to bury a downward header that found its way into Thame’s net.

George Ironton, WGC’s most inventive performer on the day, collected a blocked clearance and cleverly switched feet to shoot inches wide of the far post, with a clever piece of play.

New boy Callum Stead turned well onto a Bradshaw cross but shot wide of the post and Romelle Alomenu brought a low save from Thame keeper Craig Hill, as the Citizens looked to improve towards the interval.

Alomenu was replaced by Eusebio Da Silva seven minutes into the second-half to give the Herns Lane side some spark upfront. Moments later WGC survived a major scarce as the ever-dangerous Blake outpaced the home defence down the left and crossed, keeper Ryan Schmid blocked but couldn’t hold the effort and Thame’s Marcus Mealing put in the rebound, only to be denied by an assistant’s flag.

It was brief respite. Five minutes later Thame did net a 2-1 lead from the penalty spot, referee Chard spotting a handball as right-winger Greg Hackett crossed into the WGC area. Mealing did get on the scoresheet, sliding in an accurate penalty wide of Schmid.

WGC tried to response for a second time in the game, but much of their final half-hour efforts were borne out of frustration and with little cohesion.

The exception were an Ironton free-kick, seven minutes from time, arrowed towards the top corner, that saw Hill make the save of the afternoon, tipping it over in great style.

A goalline scramble moments later, in which Stead’s low cross found Da Silva almost on the goalline, but somehow his effort was deflected over the crossbar, was WGC’s closest attempt.

But in the final minute, Thame substitute Jason Balogun got free and set up Hackett with a clear chance, the winger wasting the opportunity to make Thame’s unlikely victory even more emphatic.

WGC: Schmid, Bradshaw (Smaldone 58), McClelland, Mensah, Sexton, Ironton, Keenleyside, Close, Stead, Cleaver (Carrington 62), Alomenu (Da Silva 52).