Waltham Abbey 3 Ware 2

31 December 2011

TWO goals in three second half minutes set the stage for a potential comeback, but it was not to be as Ware ended 2011 with a 3-2 defeat at Waltham Abbey.

After taking a three-goal lead – two of which were tap-ins – the Abbots were shell-shocked when Kieran Weekes’ well-taken goal was followed up by a low strike from Ryan Mattos.

But the away side was unable to conjure up a leveller as the Abbots secured their third win over Ware this season, having also beaten them in the league and the FA Cup.

Ware boss Stuart Nethercott made a brave tactical decision to play centre-half Jon Stevenson up front in an effort to boost his side’s presence in attack.

Tasked with marking the big man was former Ware defender Jack Friend, who made the switch to Abbey earlier this season.

Ware, however, suffered from having handful of players missing through illness and unavailability.

The visitors made a quick start, forcing Abbey back into their own half. Aime Blessing cut in from the left after three minutes, but his ball into the box was gathered by Abbey goalkeeper Richard Hayward.

At the other end, Louis Bristow surged into the box from the left-hand side, but was denied by an excellent save from onrushing Ware stopper Rhys Madden.

Madden pushed a snap-shot from ex-Ware player Adam Bolle wide of his near post on 19 minutes, while seven minutes later, Madden was again called upon to beat away a shot from Bolle after Tim Shaw teed him up for a shot following Jack Daveney’s pass.

The home side took the lead on 34 minutes after a goalmouth scramble. A short back-pass was seized upon by Shaw, whose initial shot was parried by Madden.

Shaw regained possession inside the six yard box but was denied by Tom Querry on the goalline, however, despite the best efforts of Madden and Querry, the Abbey striker put the ball into the net from close range.

Half-time came and went without any clear-cut chances for either side, but ten minutes after the restart, Shaw twisted and turned on the edge of the box before unleashing a fierce rising effort which Madden did well to palm away.

Abbey went closer still on 57 minutes when Bolle headed against the outside of the post after Ware defender Callum Adebiyi had partially blocked a shot from substitute Daran Bern.

However, in the very next attack a minute later, Abbey went 2-0 up when Bern unleashed an unstoppable shot from just inside the area, which flew into the opposite side of the net.

It was 3-0 on 65 minutes when Abbey broke away in a three-on-three attack. Shaw played in substitute Loren Maxwell, and despite interference at his feet from Madden, the Abbey man got away from the determined keeper and rolled the ball into the empty net.

Ware, however, refused to lie down and on 70 minutes they pulled a goal back. A kick from Hayward was intercepted by Kieran Weekes, who cut in from the right, rounded the keeper and slotted home from a tight angle for his first goal in Ware colours.

Within three minutes, Ware were right back in it. A route one goal kick from Madden set Aime Blessing and Ryan Mattos on a run, and after Blessing hit the deck following a challenge, Mattos gathered the ball, turned and fired low into the bottom corner of the net to make it 3-2.

Having made their three allotted substitutions, Abbey’s options were limited, but Ware continued to press forward and Blessing’s ball in from the left forced Hayward to backpedal and tip the ball over the bar.

From the resulting corner, Adebiyi received the ball at the back post but blazed over the bar.

Four minutes from the end, Abbey’s Matt Attard brought down Jon Stevenson right on the edge of the box, but after an extended pause while the referee ensured the Abbey wall was the required distance away, Stevenson blasted the free kick over the top.

Ware: Rhys Madden, Liam Foster, Callum Adebiyi, Jon Stevenson, Shannan Taylor, Dave Bastian, Kieran Weekes, Dan Johnson, Ryan Mattos, Aime Blessing (sub: Junior Adeoye, 87), Tom Querry. Subs not used: Kain Roomes, Danny Hayes, Stuart Nethercott, Michael Elliott.