Ware 1 Soham Town Rangers 1
29 October 2011
A FINE penalty save by Rhys Madden and a first half strike by Ricci Crace helped Ware climb off the bottom of the league, although the ten-man hosts were left feeling they could have taken maximum points after a frenetic outing at Wodson Park.
The hosts exploded out of the blocks and clearly had their visitors rattled in what was the first ever league meeting between the two sides.
And even after the dismissal of Vince Rispoli for a handball on the line – his second sending off in such circumstances this season – the hosts demonstrated desire and attacking flair, along with some resolute defending.
There were a couple of changes from the side that played Tilbury the previous weekend. Lewis Taylor came into the midfield with Ricci Crace pushed into attack in place of suspended front man Tony Martin, while Dave Bastian came back in at centre-half in place of the departed Jack Friend.
The second half saw the return to action of central defender/midfielder Jon Stevenson when he came off the bench to help see out the closing stages of the match. He had not been seen in a Ware shirt since August, having suffered from a long-term back problem after serving a suspension.
Within a minute of kick-off, Ware had won a corner which resulted in the ball being played short to Lewis Taylor, who tested Soham keeper Lea Jordan from long-range.
The hosts continued to give Soham the run-around, with Aime Blessing seeing his shot saved low by Jordan on 18 minutes.
Within seconds, skipper Ricci Crace was played through with a clear sight of goal, but after teeing up his shot, his low effort was blocked by the legs of Jordan.
On 27 minutes, Ryan Mattos turned his marker and fired over the bar from a tight angle, but three minutes later Soham appeared to have been thrown a lifeline.
Tom Liberatore’s shot found its way through a crowd of bodies, but struck the arm of Vince Rispoli on the goalline, with the Ware defender immediately shown the red card.
Simon Flanz stepped up to take the penalty right-footed, but his shot was kept out brilliantly by Madden as he dived to his left to thump the ball away at chest height.
Madden was forced to pounce on the ball five minutes later after Daniel Cotton played a one-two with Dubi Ogbonna before fizzing the ball into the six yard box from a tight angle.
However, it was Ware who took a deserved lead on 36 minutes when Aime Blessing played the ball in to Ricci Crace from the left-hand side, the veteran target man firing across keeper Jordan from 10 yards and into the bottom corner of the net.
The action continued apace with Ogbonna coaxing another save from Madden on 37 minutes, while Ware’s Tom Querry curled a free kick over the bar after Ryan Mattos was hauled back by a defender 20 yards away from goal.
Soham made a double change at the interval, but it didn’t seem to have a noticeable effect on their second half performance, with Ware’s makeshift centre-half Michael Elliott, who had shifted into the middle following Rispoli’s dismissal, enjoying a solid game alongside Dave Bastian in the heart of the home side’s defence.
Ware’s best chance of the second half came on 46 minutes when the tireless Dan Johnson, who chased every ball down in midfield where possible, played in Mattos, who turned his man and drove a low curling effort towards goal, only for Jordan to make an excellent diving save with his left hand to turn it around the post.
A speculative ball in by Soham right-back Flanz bounced off the top of Ware’s bar on 51 minutes, but there was no such luck for Ware debutant Mark Teasdale who came on at right back after signing from Broxbourne Borough. He swept David Cobb clean off the floor with a late challenge just moments after coming on and was shown the yellow card.
The 79th minute saw the introduction of Jon Stevenson into the midfield after a lengthy injury lay-off, and the big man’s first action was to commandeer the taking of a long-range free kick, which he drove low past the far post.
Shortly afterwards, Soham substitute Richard Gammon had the beating of Madden at his near post, but some gutsy defending by Dave Bastian saw the veteran defender hack the ball away over his own bar with the goalmouth gaping.
Ware’s rearguard was finally breached on 80 minutes when the ball was swung in from the left and Querry miscued a defensive header up into the air. Substitute Matthew Robinson climbed highest to head the ball home as it fell.
The last chance of the match fell to Ware when Johnson was brought down by Flanz just outside the box and a free kick was given. Stevenson was on duty again with his right foot, but the ball sailed wide of the near upright.
Ware: Rhys Madden, Michael Elliott, Tom Querry, Lewis Taylor (sub: Jon Stevenson, 79), Vince Rispoli, Dave Bastian, Laurence Rispoli (sub: Mark Teasdale, 57), Dan Johnson, Ryan Mattos, Ricci Crace, Aime Blessing. Subs not used: Antony Lane, Danny Hayes, Harry Larner.
