Ware 1 Potters Bar Town 3
10 December 2011
POTTERS Bar gained revenge for their Alan Boon Cup exit at the hands of Ware earlier in the season by inflicting a 3-1 defeat on the battling hosts.
There was an element of fortune surrounding the visitors’ first two goals – more so with the opener – but after Potters Bar had taken a three-goal lead, Dan Johnson struck a consolation for Ware with what was effectively the last kick of the game.
Striker Ryan Mattos returned to the starting line-up in attack, with central defensive pairing Dave Bastian and Wesley Beckles restored to the defensive unit after their absence last week.
On a tricky surface, Potters Bar carved out more chances than their hosts in the opening stages of the game. Following a sixth minute corner from Joe O’Brien, Dan Odamo directed his header straight at Ware goalkeeper Rhys Madden.
O’Brien worked himself into a good position three minutes later, but left-back Vince Rispoli made a solid covering tackle to prod the ball away for a corner.
Potters Bar took the lead direct from a free kick on 15 minutes. After Wesley Beckles was penalised for hand-ball just outside the box, Joe O’Brien struck a low set piece which squirmed past Madden and into the centre of the net.
Rob Magwood’s header cannoned off the post as the visitors looked to add to their lead, but the earlier goal seemed to spark Ware into life and they began to enjoy more of the possession as the half went on.
A sudden whipped ball in from the right by Kieran Weekes saw Ryan Mattos spoon the ball just wide, although the pace of the cross meant the striker can’t have had as much control over his strike as he would have liked.
WELL IN: Dan Johnson challenges for the ball (PIC: Ian Bush)
At the other end, Madden saved from Bradley Harrison, while O’Brien fizzed a shot across the face of goal and wide of the far post with half-time approaching.
Ware started the second half at a terrific pace. Dan Johnson played the ball to the feet of Mattos, who turned and shot but saw his effort go straight at keeper Matt Bennett.
However, the Blues were dealt a sucker punch when O’Brien fed Harrison, who fired past Madden from a tight angle to make it 2-0 on 54 minutes.
UNDER PRESSURE: Aime Blessing (right) and Ryan Mattos close down a Potters Bar defender (PIC Ian Bush)
Strikes Kain Roomes replaced left-winger Aime Blessing as Ware switched to a 4-3-3 formation, but as was the case for much of the game, the sheer height of Potters Bar’s central defensive pairing meant any aerial threat from the home side was immediately smudged out, leaving them to try their luck with through balls on what was a progressively muddier surface.
Madden made a diving fingertip save to deny O’Brien at the expense of a corner, but the keeper could do nothing to stop Elvis Balic making it 3-0 in a slick move following a throw-in from the left-hand side on 84 minutes.
With a minute of normal time left, Weekes’ corner found substitute Junior Adeoye, but the striker blazed his shot high over the bar and into a picturesque full moon that had a large and noticeable presence on the horizon.
Adeoye, though, played a part in Ware’s consolation goal in the third minute of stoppage time.
Following a ball in from the right, Adeoye’s flicked back-header forced keeper Bennett to punch the ball away, but it only went as far as Johnson, who rifled into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
Ware: Rhys Madden, Michael Elliott, Vince Rispoli, Shannan Taylor, Wesley Beckles, Dave Bastian, Ryan Mattos (sub: Junior Adeoye, 78), Dan Johnson, Kieran Weekes, Ricci Crace, Aime Blessing (sub: Kain Roomes, 64). Subs not used: Tony Martin, Danny Hayes, Tom Querry.
