Thatcham 2, Whitchurch 0

THIS was not a game for the purists as the heavy ground, uneven pitch and an intense rivalry meant that the game was not allowed to flow with good quality football.

The first 30 minutes disappeared with hardly any meaningful shot on goal apart from one from Sion Howard after seven minutes for Thatcham, and one for Whitchurch in the 15th minute by lone striker Gary Blenkarn.

In the 31st minute, the game finally came to life when good play between Andy Gray, James Murphy and Howard ended with the ball running into the path of Paul Worsfold who broke into the box only to be hauled down by Whitchurch's Stuart Vosper.

Referee Tony Gay immediately pointed to the penalty spot.

Christian Edwards stepped up and sent ex-Thatcham keeper Paul Cann the wrong way to put the home side one up.

Six minutes later, Edwards was to find himself in the referee's book for a late tackle on Steve Caswell.

The second half was infinitely better than the first with the pace of the game increasing from the start.

Jamie Green replaced Andy Gray in the 52nd minute after the centre-forward took one too many late, unpunished tackles.

The game erupted midway through the half after Jon Norris had a free kick given against him.

For no apparent reason, the Whitchurch defender kicked out at Norris, just yards away from the linesmen and both sides entered into a pushing and shoving match.

After a lengthy discussion with his linesman, referee Gay ruled that the original free kick was to be taken, with no action taken about the ensuing melee.

Whitchurch were unlucky not to equalise in the 84th minute when Gary Shaughnessy hit the crossbar with a snapshot following a corner, but Thatcham ensured the points from a corner of their own when Tommy McCormick struck home in the final minute.

Manager Neil Baker once again reiterated that it was important for his side, when they don't play to their full capacity, to grind out results and keep putting pressure on the teams above them whilst maintaining or increasing the gap over the teams below them.

He was strong in his praise of the consistently good form of Stuart Anderson and duly made him his man of the match.

Thatcham: Mann, Edwards, Roberts, Rowe, Anderson, Worsfold, Murphy, Howard, Gray (J Green), Norris, McCormick.

Whitchurch: Cann, Vosper, K Knight, Kirk, Shaughnessy (Ging), Hughes, I Knight, Stockwell, Robinson, Blenkarn, Caswell (Dinham).