Thatcham manager Romeo full of praise for Flippance despite defeat

Thatcham Town fell to an unfortunate loss away to Shaftesbury on Saturday.

The game went ahead despite significant fog earlier in the day and Thatcham got straight to work, as forward Jamie Davis hit a low shot from the edge of the area.

Just three minutes later however, the hosts made their mark.

A Shaftesbury forward picked up the ball on the edge of the area and drove the ball home with precision, finding the corner for 1-0.

Thatcham fought back though, as Ollie Bourne saw a header well saved just ten minutes later.

In the 20th minute Thatcham were level.

Captain Callum Willmoth found striker Harvey Flippance in the area, who produced an excellent turn in the box under significant pressure, finding the corner with a tidy finish.

He almost bagged a second shortly afterwards, but was unable to connect with Zion Nditi’s cross.

A minute before the break, the hosts went down to ten men as Mo Ceesay was brought down by a professional foul.

This seemed to have an inverse effect however, as Shaftesbury went 2-1 in front from a corner just five minutes into the second half.

Thatcham battled to get back on terms, but the hosts dug in resiliently.

Willmoth and Pharrel Agbotey both came close, but it simply wasn’t to be.

“We probably dominated for eighty minutes on Boxing Day,” reflected manager Yashwa Romeo.

“There’s just a little lack of end product in the final third.

“And then the Shaftesbury game was similar to where we’ve been all season.”

Romeo liked much of what he saw on Saturday, despite a disappointing result.

“We were a little bit slow starting,” he said.

“Then we just dominated the whole second half.

“We played beautiful football with some really nice moves.

“We got the goal, and Ollie missed a header from three yards out.

“Them going down to ten men was the changing point.

“They came out quicker in the second half, then sat in deep.

“We couldn’t break them down.

“Balls flashed past the six yard box with no one there to poke them home.

“It’s one of those, we didn’t have that cutting edge to break them down again.”

Romeo was pleased with the impact of Flippance, praising the work rate of the forward.

“He’s been really good,” he said.

“He gives us a different dynamic, his hold up play is superb.

“His strength, the way he brings players in.

“He came off feeling his hamstring, so we’ll assess that.

“But his work rate is phenomenal, it’s through the roof.

“A great asset to have. It was good for him to get on the scoresheet.”