Brentwood Town 2 Ware 1
19 March 2011
WARE’S current problems were all too apparent in this game against the division’s form side – this being Brentwood’s eighth successive win. Despite having by far the best of the first half in terms of territory and possession the visitors were unable to turn this into goals and went in at the break 1-0 down.
They continued to have as much of things as their hosts in the second period despite being reduced to ten men early on and after equalising went down to the best goal of the game when a looping centre was headed in at the far post by Darren Blewitt.
It was typical of the game that it took nearly twenty minutes before Brentwood fashioned an opportunity and yet it was the best chance either side had up to that point. The ball broke kindly for the hosts requiring Obey Murefu to make a great stop before the follow up was hit into the side netting.
Ware responded immediately with Sam Ruff’s long range shot going just over the bar but the ball was back at the other end just as quickly and this time Murefu’s save came back off a post giving Blewitt and easy chance for his first goal.
Heads might have dropped but they didn’t and the visitors continued to press with Luke Marshall making probing forays in from the right before Sam Berry was the next to fire over. Next Brentwood were almost undone by some good interplay on the edge of their area before being rescued by a well timed tackle.
Meanwhile the home side seemed to rely on breakaways and with Ware pressing up were dangerous when they countered.
The second half was only nine minutes old when Chris Sargent was left exposed and his last ditch tackle brought him a straight red card. Still undaunted Ware continued to probe for an equaliser and brought on Ryan Wade as an extra forward.
This seemed to have done the trick for with greater numbers forward the home defence was pressured by Rob Kemble’s 69th minute cross and the ball eventually found its way to Sam Ruff who headed home. An unlikely draw now seemed to be a not undeserved possibility but only for five minutes before Blewitt completed his brace.
As the game came to its closing phase, Andy Hall in the home goal exhorted his colleagues to play conservatively by taking the ball to the corner flag and denying it to Ware. It may be taken as some consolation by the visitors to know that even with ten men they had caused that degree of concern but ultimately they needed to take more of the chances they created to get anything out of this game.
Central defence continues to be a headache as well. Lee Protheroe is unavailable for the next two games, Matt Turpin and Fred Dooling are still out with injury and Chris Sargent faces suspension after his sending off.
On a happier note, new signing Hervé Malimabue made his debut as a substitute but too late to make a decisive difference.
Ware: Murefu, Clemo, Kemble, Protheroe, Sargent, S Berry (Scott 79 mins), Marshall, Ruff, Aiken (Malimabue 84 mins), Mitchell, Roles (Wade 61 mins). Unused subs: Burton, Ormand (GK)
