Kingfishers downed despite Nyarko strike
Thatcham Town’s recent resurgence was dealt a blow at the weekend as Yashwa Romeo’s side lost 2-1 at home to Sutton Common Rovers.
The Kingfishers kicked off having picked up four points from their last two games, lifting them out of the Isthmian League South Central Division relegation zone.
And Yashwa Romeo was once again busy strengthening his squad in the week, welcoming Ramarni Medford-Smith and Levi Heholt to the Stacatruc.
Left back Medford-Smith signed for the Kingfishers on an initial one month loan deal from Bracknell.
The 23-year-old is a product of Reading’s academy and has more than 50 Premier League 2 appearances to his name as well as National League experience with Torquay United.
Heholt meanwhile is a familiar face in West Berkshire, having spent time at both Hungerford and Newbury.
Medford-Smith went straight into Romeo’s eleven but failed to make an immediate impression on the Kingfishers' leaky defence as Sutton Common Rovers went ahead just three minutes in, the last touch coming from Thatcham’s unfortunate Joshua Adjei.
Thatcham rallied and went close on a couple of occasions before the half hour mark – first, the in-form David Nyarko saw his header comfortably saved by Sutton’s Endurance Johnson before the marauding Cameron Rohart-Brown shot wide.
Into the second half and Sutton went close to doubling their lead in the 50th minute, Bertie Lloyd’s header glancing off the post and wide.
The Kingfishers responded and were level with 22 minutes remaining when Nyarko pounced on a bizarre miskick from Hampton and Richmond loanee Johnson and rolled the ball into an empty net.
That goal was Nyarko’s sixth in three games since signing on loan from Reading, and doubtless one of the easiest the teenager will ever score.
Yashwa Romeo said before the game that he’d have taken a point, but that was snatched from him with less than 10 minutes left on the clock when Kyron Richards – who had a spell in the Finnish Premier League in 2019 – struck to earn the visitors all three points.
Thatcham travel to league leaders Northwood this weekend.
The Kingfishers might take comfort from the fact that the Woods have lost two of their last four, but it promises to be a stern test for Romeo's side.
