Northwood conceded three goals in six second half minutes as Thame came from behind to take the points at a sultry Chestnut Avenue. Woods’ performance matched the weather as a bright start led to a disappointing ending as Thame exposed the lack of experience in this young Northwood team.

The Woods showed a couple of changes from the midweek defeat to Cambridge City, Temiloluwa Oladejo coming in at left-back with Keir Dickson moving into midfield in place of Declan Nche while Femi Azeez replaced Meshach Williams in attack.

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Woods were immediately on the front foot, with Tom Gilbey sending a shot into the side-netting of the visitors’ goal. But Northwood soon had some defending to do as they conceded a series of free-kicks in dangerous positions, Dan West clearing the crossbar with one effort before Jamie Essex headed home from a Lynton Goss delivery but was denied by an offside flag.

Thame kept the pressure on the Northwood rearguard and keeper Borja Loeches-Teixera pulled off a couple of fine saves to deny both Dan West and Goss as the deadly attacking duo looked to add to their 50-plus combined goal tally for the season.

Having weathered the storm, Woods began to ask questions of their own, with Jamie Fulton creating an opening for Jermaine Osei, whose shot was deflected for a corner. And Northwood registered the first goal of the afternoon after Dickson was upended in the box, with Osei stepping up to convert  the penalty kick on 21 minutes.

Thame looked for an immediate response and Loeches-Teixeira was called upon again to deal with a half-volley attempt from Ben Sturgess before the Woods keeper pulled off another smart save to keep out a deflected shot from Goss.

The visitors were looking increasingly dangerous, with Liam Tack sending a low ball into the six-yard box with West’s scuffed shot deflecting wide before Essex was off target with a header.

But Northwood had opportunities to increase their lead before the break. Dickson and Osei combined to create an opening for Evans Kouassi but he was unable to keep his shot down when well-placed, before the latter had another shot which was comfortably gathered by ‘keeper Craig Hill.

Woods were soon on the offensive after the break, with Dickson sending a free-kick over the Thame crossbar before the same player had a close range shot blocked after good work from Kouassi.

Fulton made way for Nche on the hour-mark as Woods looked to add some fresh legs to the midfield but the hosts had some defending to do as Loeches-Teixeira kept out a long range effort from West before the Northwood stopper produced a double save to deny West and Tack following a goalmouth scramble.

Northwood made another change as Nebay Haile replaced Kouassi in attack, but after Isaac Olorunfemi shot wide following a swift counter-attack the action switched to the other end in dramatic fashion. Goss broke clear of the Northwood defence to finish with aplomb to draw Thame level on 72 minutes while three minutes later Tom Ashworth converted after a game of ping-pong in the Northwood box to put Thame ahead.

And things got worse for shell-shocked Northwood as James McGowan headed home unchallenged from a Goss corner to notch a third goal on 77 minutes.

Thame made a double substitution as they looked to protect the three points. But sadly Woods never  looked like retrieving anything from a poor second half performance, with substitute Sam Oyeniran, a replacement for Osei,  heading over a Chingoka corner,  the nearest they came to affecting the scoreline.