Ware 2 Chatham Town 2
12 November 2011
WARE remain unbeaten at home in the league since the start of October following their 2-2 draw with Chatham, but the hosts were left feeling they could have taken all three points following a resurgent second half display.
Goals from Aime Blessing and Tony Martin turned around a 1-0 half-time deficit, but a 71st minute penalty scored by Lee Hayles salvaged a point for the visitors.
Ware boss Stuart Nethercott made a number of changes to his starting line-up as he continued to search for a winning formula.
In came debutants Wesley Beckles and Junior Adeoye, signed from Enfield Town and Broxbourne Borough respectively, at centre-half and on the right wing, while Mark Teasdale and Antony Lane came into the starting line-up at right and left back.
Ware keeper Rhys Madden was forced to make a save inside the first minute to deny Lloyd Blackman, before making two blocks in quick succession on 10 minutes to deny Lee Hayles from close range and Ryan Laker from outside the area after he collected the rebound.
An angled shot from Chatham’s Jack Jeffery was pushed onto the bar by Madden a minute later, but there was nothing the Ware stopper could do to prevent the visitors taking a 14th minute lead.
After Aime Blessing was adjudged to have fouled an opponent, Chris Davies sent a free kick into the area and Blackman headed over Madden and into the net to make it 1-0.
The visitors had the ball in the net again shortly afterwards but were denied by an off-side flag. Garry Tilley’s shot crept past Madden, whose vision was blocked at the right moment by Blackman as he ran across the box, but the linesman’s flag spared the hosts from falling further behind.
A FINE PIECE OF SKILL: Ware skipper Ricci Crace in posession (PIC: Ian Bush)
Ware’s Tony Martin and Jon Stevenson were booked for dissent in the closing stages of a first half which yielded very little attacking football from the hosts.
The second half was a different story entirely with Ware causing all sorts of problems for the Chatham defence.
There were a couple of early scares as Chatham looked to increase their advantage, but both times Antony Lane was there to hack the ball off his own line.
Ware levelled on 49 minutes when Aime Blessing slotted comfortably past keeper Adam Molloy after being played in behind the defence, the winger proceeding to celebrate with the home fans behind the goal.
AIME HIGH: Aime Blessing tries a shot (PIC: Ian Bush)
Four minutes later, Martin played Junior Adeoye into a shooting position on the right side of the box, but the debutant miscued his effort behind for a goal kick.
A minute later, Blessing was the provider as Martin had a chance to score, but the attacker’s shot was saved by the keeper.
Molloy denied Martin again shortly afterwards as the tall front man managed to get away from Laker, who was subsequently booked for impeding the Ware attacker as he tracked back.
However, Martin made no mistake on 62 minutes when he fired home after Jon Stevenson’s shot came back off a defender.
At the other end, Blackman crashed a free kick wide of the post, while Lane came across to make a superb covering tackle to deny Jason Barton as he cut in from the left.
Chatham levelled on 71 minutes from the penalty spot. Tilley was adjudged to have been brought down by impressive debutant Wesley Beckles, with Lee Hayles scoring from the resulting spot kick, despite Madden diving the right way.
A quick throw from Mark Teasdale was flicked into the path of Blessing by a deft Stevenson touch on 76 minutes, but with the defence and goalkeeper well beaten, the loose ball just ran beyond Blessing before he could steer it into the net.
Blessing again went through on 86 minutes, but was brought down by Matt Solly, who appeared to be the last defender for Chatham. Solly escaped with a booking, and Stevenson’s resulting set piece found its way into the arms of Molloy.
Ware: Rhys Madden, Mark Teasdale, Antony Lane, Jon Stevenson, Wesley Beckles, Dave Bastian, Junior Adeoye, Dan Johnson, Tony Martin, Ricci Crace, Aime Blessing. Subs not used: Lewis Taylor, Michael Elliot, Stuart Nethercott, Danny Hayes, Harry Larner.
