WARE 1 CHESHUNT 4
Ryman League Division 1 North
Saturday 27th December 2008
Harry England reports........
Cheshunt had never lost at Ware's Wodson Park ground, and looked to continue this record against a tattered Ware side. Glen Alzapiedi had left for Harlow midweek, meaning their squad had been thrown together in the last few days. Dennis Greene took charge of the home side, fielding two ex-Ambers in Richard Hayward and Brian Hammatt.
An early chance for Lee Roberts was brilliantly slid away by Ware's Alhassan Kamara, and things looked promising for the Ambers from the off. The makeshift Ware side struggled as the strong Cheshunt forward-line dominated, and several chances were wasted by Reece Prestedge, Mervin Abraham, and Ashley Taylor-Forbes.
It was Taylor-Forbes though that opened the scoring, on thirteen minutes. Mervin Abraham got the better of Kamara before playing a great ball into Roberts, who squared for the grateful Taylor-Forbes to poke home.
Just three minutes later, skipper Glen Parry scored a strange goal, as he used his face to put in a Michael Pelley cross. The ball came in from the right to the rampaging Parry who leapt too early, getting the ball as he was coming down, but they all count, and the lead was doubled!
Abraham looked as if he could get his name on the scoresheet moments later, but he opted to try an acrobatic attempt instead of the simple option, which would surely have resulted in a goal. Instead, his effort was hooked wide.
Ware did have a chance though, although it was denied superbly by Parry. However, it was still the Ambers who were looking to score more. On the half-hour mark, Cheshunt had numerous chances, but the ball came free to Roberts in the 'D'. He was brought down by Chris Sargent, and up stepped Kai Ramshaw to take the kick. He hit it sweetly, and the ball curled beautifully into the top-right corner. Against his former club, he left Cheshunt three goals to the good.
Ramshaw then gave Ware another scare five minutes later with a thirty-yard free-kick along the floor. The bobbly pitch made the ball bobble, and in the end Hayward did well to palm the ball away. Ware got a goal just seconds before half time, as James Peagram received Daniel Lodge's pass and chipped over Chris Goodchild, leaving Ambers fans wondering whether the lead would be sufficient for the second-half.
The home side came flying out for the second period, forcing Goodchild into some early saves, before Lodge hit a shot agonisingly over. Ware continued to put pressure on Cheshunt, and Sargent saw his header brilliantly tipped over by Goodchild on fifty-five minutes. Pelley picked himself up a booking for the Ambers soon after, for failing to retreat ten yards at a free-kick, and Ware sub Darryl Wilson missed an easy chance for his club.
Against the run of play though, Cheshunt restored the three goal lead in the seventieth minute, Reece Prestedge drilling a left-foot free-kick into the corner of the net. It could easily have been five though ten minutes later, as Taylor-Forbes rounded Hayward. His shot was mis-hit and was going wide, and it looked as if Abraham would get a touch and steer it in, but his touch wasn't heavy enough and the ball ran wide.
In the end though, Cheshunt held out for a 4-1 victory, a great result against a play-off chasing side and a useful three points to push our own promotion hopes!
Ware: Hayward, Kamara, Querry (Aylett 62'), Sargent, Sesay, Ngongou, Burke (Wilson 38'), Sabaroche (Lodge 38'), Peagram, Bristow, Hammatt
Unused: Young, Williams
Cheshunt: Goodchild, Pelley, Parry (c) (Toner 38'), Johns, Pettigrew, Ramshaw, Taylor-Forbes, Prestedge, Lewis (Harrison 78'), Roberts (Tresadern 66'), Abraham
Attendance: 244