This game could hardly have been any more different to Saturday’s disappointing performance at Kidlington. That was blamed on a lack of experienced players but this game saw only two differences in the starting line from that which commenced in Oxfordshire.
Joe Dearman and Jon Clements were back in action and whilst they both made a good contribution it was a much better all round team showing that caught the eye. If you want anyone singled out your correspondent would point to George Ironton with his midfield colleague Sami Moutawafiq a close second. Ironton hardly put a foot wrong all through the game.
But there were good performances throughout as Ware logged three goals in a league game for the first time this year. Saturday’s match report referred to the missing “first choice” centre backs but “stand-ins” Jay Rolfe and Lewis Thomas looked the part in this game and it was also good to see Ike Okwusogu making the most of his second start in three days.
Things didn’t begin well for Ware though as Northwood had the better of the opening exchanges and Ware’s first goal on fifteen minutes was rather against the run of play. Okwusogu exchanged passes with Gucci Soulya-Osekanongo before playing him in for a run on goal. Soulya-Osekanongo took his chance well, running on to the through ball to hit it past the advancing Ayman Azaze in the Northwood goal.
The home side did not appear fazed by this and were level five minutes later when for pretty much the only time in the game, the Ware defence was slow to close down Samuel Folarin who gave Fred Burbidge no chance with his shot low into the corner of the net.
Ware were back in front as the half hour mark approached. Northwood were still working hard for a goal at the other end of the ground but the Ware defence was holding firm and acting as a spring board for assaults on the home goal. In one attack two shots were blocked but on the second occasion the ball rebounded to Chukuma Okotcha who struck from distance to record his first goal in Ware colours.
The visitors started to control matters in the fifteen minutes after half time and might have put the game beyond Northwood when first Soulya-Osekanongo was just wide with a chance before Okwusogu shot straight at Azaze. Theo Ofori was then wide with another chance before Azaze saved from Jon Clements who shot under pressure.
Ware couldn’t maintain that level of pressure but at the midpoint of the half Ofori did well to control a pass dropping over his shoulder onto his thigh before, with Azaze beaten, his shot from wide failed to curl quite enough to find the net.
By now it was a matter of who would score the next goal and it fell to Ware with just a minute left of normal time. Azaze got a hand to Okwusogu’s fierce shot but could only deflect its path into the net.
This has not been the kind of season to permit quick judgements on Ware’s ability but this game certainly showed that there is potential. Whether that potential can be realised regularly is another matter. And injuries don’t help. John Clements left this match near the end after his hamstring started to play up.
Will he be starting on Saturday against Biggleswade is a question probably not to be answered until the day of the game. By then though Max Granville will be back from suspension and maybe Sam Mayuma from injury but does Paul Halsey want to break up a side, forged out of necessity, that has started to prove itself? We’ll see on Saturday.
Ware: Fred Burbidge, Chukuma Okotcha, Joe Dearman, Sami Moutawafiq, Jay Rolfe, Lewis Thomas, Theo Ofori (Exauce Kifwasima 94mins), Gucci Soulya-Osekanongo, Jon Clements (Gabriel Chapps 81mins), George Ironton, Ike Okwusogu. Unused subs: Tom Kay, Jamie Ford, Johnny Allotey.
