26 January 2011

Sudbury reinforced their reputation as one of Ware’s bogey sides by scoring an equaliser in the dying moments of this match.  It takes nothing from their status as a jinx to say that it was a just reward for their endeavour in an entertaining game.

Despite being played on a pitch that had needed hard work to overcome the effects of heavy rain both teams played some attractive football at times in front of an above average attendance.

That said most of the early action was contained in the middle of the pitch and neither keeper was unduly tested until nearly 20 minutes into the game.  Then Murat Karagul beat an offside call and took the ball into the penalty area before drilling it through a number of legs and into the bottom corner.

Sudbury hit back and Obey Murefu saved a point blank shot partly through instinct and partly through good positioning before another effort was cleared off the line close to the half time break.

After the resumption Sudbury continued to search for an equaliser but it was Ware who looked as though they had made the break through after 53 minutes with a superb Matt Mitchell strike.  He decided not to challenge for a header in the box when he correctly judged that he could pick up the clearance.  Pick up?  In fact he ball was in his possession only briefly before being volleyed into the top corner.

But Sudbury would not be denied and their Daniel Emmanuel came into his own at this time, causing plenty of trouble on the right wing.  The irony that he was only due to be a substitute until Taylor Sinfield was held up in traffic was compounded by the fact that Ware’s left back Rob Kemble was still unavailable with a broken toe.

Emmanuel made the most of the circumstances and provided trickery to unnerve Ware’s defence and the 63^rd minute pass to James Baker who pulled a goal back for the visitors.

It looked then as though Ware might succumb but they held on until added time.

Gazmend Dauti seemed to have won the ball with a good tackle but he had come in at an angle from behind and the referee deemed it illegal.  Webb’s free kick looped into the area where Murefu came to gather but Steve Wareham got there first and his header dropped into an empty net.

Ware: Murefu, Clemo, Sargent, Turpin, J Berry, Ruff, Marshall, S Berry (Dauti), Karagul, Mitchell (Price), Roles.  Subs not used:  Wade, Killingback, Burton