Oxford City 2,Thame Utd 4

By RUSSELL SMITH THAME United kept their promotion dream alive by completing a Ryman League Division 1 double over local rivals Oxford City at Court Place Farm yesterday.

Thame, 3-1 winners over City at Windmill Stadium over Christmas when all the goals came in the first half, again looked to have the points in safe keeping by the break as they swept into a 3-0 lead.

But City staged a spirited revival in the second half thanks to a Richard Peirson brace, and it was only deep into injury time that Thame finally sealed victory.

The win moves Thame up to fifth spot, two points behind Maidenhead United, who occupy the third promotion place and also have a game in hand.

Playing with a deceptively brisk wind at their backs in the first half, Thame opened the scoring in the 20th minute when Garry Smart failed to clear properly and Ronnie Joe crossed for Greg Williams to steal in between two defenders and head past Alan Foster from six yards. Mid-table City may have only had local pride to play for, but that was far from apparent in the first half.

They stood and watched as Mark West shot just wide from the edge of the area before Thame, who included six former City players, went further ahead in the 38th minute.

Dave Tregurtha appeared to climb all over Andy Smith to head home Mark Jones's corner, but City's protests proved in vain.

Worse was to follow for City in first-half injury time when Wayne Cort rose well to head home another well-delivered Jones corner.

It looked like being a cakewalk for Thame. But City rallied after the break and the visitors were caught sleeping on the hour by Justin Lee's quickly-taken free-kick to the far post for Peirson to race in and head home unmarked.

Peirson, who gave City greater presence up front after being pushed forward, did the trick again in the 75th minute when he ran on to a ball over the top to drill a low right-foot shot past Ian Moores. Thame were rattled and Peirson almost made it a hat-trick when he headed inches over the bar from Matty Whitehead's free-kick.

But Thame made sure of the points three minutes into injury time with City down to ten men after a shambles of a substitution saw Smart off the pitch before Jason Davy was allowed to go on due to an exposed ring.

And with City appealing for a foul on Shaun Wimble, substitute Jefferson Louis floated a cross to the far post for West to slide home.

Oxford City: Foster, Smart (Davy 90), Sweeney, Thorp, Peirson, Smith, Lee, Whitehead, McCleary (Wise 66), Strong, Wimble. Sub not used: Hulbert.

Thame Utd: Moores, Joe (Sherwood 73), G Williams (Emsden 57), Brown, Tregurtha, A Williams, Mitchell, West, Cort (Louis 71), Fontaine, Jones.

Referee: L Smith (Reading).

Attendance: 304.