Waltham Forest 4 Ware 1
02 April 2011
WEST Ham may see it differently if and when they get to occupy the Olympic stadium just down the road from Cricklefields athletic ground but at this level of football the sparse crowds serve only to lend a sense of remoteness to what is happening on the field. And with a strong wind blowing the length of the pitch it could at times seem like playing on the deck of an aircraft carrier.
If this wasn’t dispiriting enough Ware contrived to throw away a lead and the chance to finally rid themselves of any lingering doubts about their survival in the Ryman League. Instead it was the home side which, buoyed by an early goal in the second half, were fired to lift themselves closer to another season of Step 4 football.
With Jack Friend retaining his position at right back following his successful debut last week the returning Joe Clemo was pushed into midfield and it was from him that Ware’s goal came. Some neat play five minutes before half time ended with Clemo’s deft centre. Ryan Wade met it but his mishit shot towards the bottom corner of the goal was fumbled into his goal by an embarrassed Eric Pudaloff.
It was fortunate for Ware and yet even that suggested their poor run of form and the twists of chance that have contributed to it might at last be about to change. Certainly on the run of play they deserved the lead and with the wind at their backs in the second half looked capable of holding it.
They made a good start and began to play some good football that brought the majority of play to Forest’s defensive third of the pitch. But ten minutes in the home side had an equaliser when a ball from the left found former Blue Billy Healey who scored at the far post.
A goal out of the blue was what Ware fans had feared for their fragile lead and it spurred Forest on. Suddenly their passing became fluid and they looked more of a team than Ware whose play became staccato by comparison.
It was no surprise when Joshua Bonnett volleyed home in the 64th minute and it was then clear that the visitors were up against it. In the circumstances they could have done without Billy Healey’s second goal ten minutes later. An audacious shot-cum-cross from the right wing hit the back of Ware’s net with Aaron Omand flailing at thin air.
That was it then except for an inevitable twist with Leigh Rose, newly arrived from the bench, winning an 85th minute penalty for Ware. Max Mitchell stepped up to take it but Pudaloff made amends for his now long forgotten gaffe by diving to his right to make a save.
At 3-2 Ware might just have squeezed something out of the game or at least kept their goal difference at a creditable level. Instead Forest rubbed their noses in it with a quickly taken free kick and a fourth goal from Marvin Samuel in the first minute of added time.
Ware: Omand, Friend, Kemble, Protheroe, M Mitchell, Malimabue (Aiken 75 mins), Clemo, S Berry, Wade, J Berry (Rose 84 mins), Roles (Edmee 66 mins).
