Sumas forced to settle for a point

Thame Rangers 4 Wokingham and Emmbrook 4

SUMAS were forced to settle for a point after suffering a late collapse against title-chasing Thame.

Dan Bateman’s side looked well set for an impressive victory, leading 2-0 at half-time through Josh Harris and Elliott Rushforth goals.

Further strikes from James Clark and George Marsh after the restart either side of Thame strikes opened up a 4-2 advantage, only for the hosts to net twice in the final five minutes to snatch a point.

“Great performance and plenty of positives today,” said boss Bateman.

“A point felt like a defeat having conceded with the last kick of the game, seven minutes into injury time. Less said about the man in the middle the better.”

Bateman made five changes from their disappointing cup exit against Woodley United in midweek with Dan Carter, Jake White, Ben Broadhurst, Rushforth and Clark all coming into the team.

Sumas made a good start in Oxfordshire but it took until the 38th minute for the deadlock to be broken when Harris latched onto Clark’s pass to notch his eighth goal of the season.

That lead was quickly doubled before the break via a fine solo Rushforth effort to score for the third league game in succession.

Thame responded after the restart to pull a goal back before Clark lashed in from outside the box.

The hosts headed themselves back to within just one goal again, but the Sumas looked to have done enough for victory when Marsh nodded in a Broadhurst free-kick with less than 20 minutes to play.

However, Thame set up a grandstand finish with a shot lobbing goalkeeper Sean Woodward and they piled on the late pressure, clinching a 4-4 draw when a free-kick fell nicely in the box to be fired in.

Ninth-placed Wokingham go to Holyport in the league on Saturday (3pm).

SUMAS: Woodward; Carter, Marsh, White, Dean, Broadhurst; N. Bateman, Rushforth (A. Rowland), Harris; Holland (J. Rowland), Clark (E. Day). Subs not used: W. Day, Winship.