Opening Day Defeat For Milton

Milton United kicked off their 2015-16 campaign with defeat to Thame United. The only goal came three minutes into the second half when Thame centre back Ellis Hercules heading home following a free kick.

It was a deserved victory for Thame United who controlled the game from start to finish and created several openings firstly in the 4th minutes a cross came back off the far post only for two Thame players to get in each others way and combined to fire wide.
Thame United looked dangerous from set pieces and from a free-kick Griffiths in the Milton United goal brilliantly tipped over Hercules header in the 32nd minute and again saved from point blank range following a goal mouth scramble in the 40th minute.
Craig Griffiths was called upon again in the 73rd minute saving from Craig Faulconbridge and again tipped a shot wide from Shannon Jesson in the 87th minute. Milton United manged to create a couple of half chances Danny Langford firing high and wide when well placed in the 80th minute and Sub Matt Biddle flicked header failed to test Lee Farrow in the Thame goal. Thame should of doubled their lead when Griffiths saved only for Faulconbridge to drag the rebound wide in 89th minute. Milton United should of had a penalty in injury time when Keeper Lee Farrow made contact with Matt Biddle but nothing was given.

Thame where a well organised, well drilled side and Milton Manager Paul Bedwell felt credit must go to the opponents "Sometimes it easy to just come out and say we didn't play very well but sometimes you need to credit that to your opponents. We weren't aloud to get it down and play, they pressed us quickly and put the ball into good areas and had great delivery from set pieces. They are a very good side and very difficult to play against."

With eight players making their debuts it's very much still earlier days for the claret and blue's

"It was probably the best thing to happen to us" said Bedwell "That's the problem with preseason when you keep winning comfortable. Ive probably learnt more today than thoses seven games. It's still early days but it was a kick up the arse, there's still plenty of work to do with eight new players starting today we need time to gel."

Dispite the fact his team where out played Bedwell thought two key decision when against his side today that could of seen his side snatch a point "It would of been criminal if we nicked anything from the game today we where second best in every department but two big decision went against us, the free kick for the goal wasn't a foul and we should of had a penalty in the last seconds, I think if it wouldn't of been the dying seconds he gives that all day.

I know we bang on about it all the time but they need to be consistent (referee's) it gets frustrating for the players, manager's and supporter's when your told that there was contact but not enough to give a penalty and the free kick we conceded there was minimum contact but any contact is a foul."

TEAM: Griffiths, Bernasconi (Piscopo 72), Janes, Langford, Davis, Stott, Austin, Cox Rodgers, Hodgkins, Searle (Biddle 60), Taylor

Sub not used Bedwell

Milton United are next in action on Tuesday when they travel to Wokingham and Emmbrook FC with Ollie Thomas,Conor Forster, Ben Hummels and John Naish are in contention to return to the squad after missing saturday's game along with new signing Cameron Mcneill who signed Saturday night after playing for Abingdon United last season. Jack Bernasconi(holiday) and Ryan Tappin (injury) are definitely missing .

Squad Griffiths, Taylor, Janes, Davis, Stott, Mcneill, Naish, Austin, Langford, Thomas, Cox-Rodgers, Piscopo, Biddle, Hodgkins, Hummels, Searle