Enfield Town 2 Ware 1
05 November 2011
THERE were early fireworks after a rocket by Dan Johnson put Ware into the lead, but by the end of the match it was Enfield Town who were sparkling on Bonfire Night thanks to a controversial late winner by Liam Hope.
Ware’s hopes of taking a deserved point from the match – Enfield Town’s final outing at Cheshunt before returning ‘home’ to Donkey Lane – were extinguished when Hope fired home in the 87th minute following a highly contentious decision to deny Ware a corner kick.
It was cruel on Ware, who had withstood large amounts of pressure from their hosts in a game of few clear-cut chances.
Ten of the eleven players named in Ware’s starting line-up started against Soham Town Rangers seven day earlier, but with Laurence Rispoli sidelined it was down to Lewis Taylor to man the right side of midfield, with Jon Stevenson coming into the middle for his first start since August.
Both sides took time to find their feet in the opening exchanges, but it was first blood to Ware with nine minutes on the watch.
Skipper Ricci Crace played the ball out of Ware’s half to the feet of Ryan Mattos, who duly played it inside to the onrushing Aime Blessing.
The winger lifted in an excellent cross, which was swept home by Dan Johnson at the far post.
At the other end, Leon Osei’s cross was met by a firm Dean Pennant header, but Rhys Madden smothered the ball low to his left on 21 minutes.
A minute later, Ricci Crace had a shot deflected wide for a corner as Ware looked to add to their slender advantage.
However, frustrations began to creep in and both Jon Stevenson and Dan Johnson were cautioned for separate challenges.
With half-time rapidly approaching, Town nicked an equaliser. Following a free kick wide on the right, Jordan Lockie got the better of Ware left-back Tom Querry and floated in a well-placed cross for the ever-dangerous Adam Wallace to rifle past Madden and into the top corner.
Seven minutes into the second period, Blessing was adjudged to have fouled Osei 25 yards away from goal, but the Town man was back on his feet to plant the subsequent free kick into the side netting.
With 63 minutes gone, Dan Johnson took possession in midfield and played the ball through to Ryan Mattos, but the off-side flag prevented the fast-moving forward from advancing towards Town’s goal.
Both sides made changes, while Ware defended valiantly against a couple of Town set pieces.
But it was after the referee harshly awarded a goal kick, when many believed a corner should have been given to Ware, that play moved to the other end of the pitch and Hope crashed a shot into Ware’s net on 87 minutes.
Try as they might, Ware were unable to find an equaliser before the full-time whistle, as three more points slipped from their grasp.
Ware: Rhys Madden, Michael Elliott, Tom Querry, Jon Stevenson (sub: Jamie Petts, 75), Vince Rispoli, Dave Bastian, Lewis Taylor (sub: Mark Teasdale, 86), Dan Johnson, Ryan Mattos, Ricci Crace, Aime Blessing. Subs not used: Antony Lane, Harry Larner, Danny Hayes.
