Next up – Hertford Town
Monday, 25th August at Wodson Park
Pitching-in Southern League Division One (Central); kick off 3pm.
Admission
Admission (card preferred but cash accepted) – Adults £10, Concessions £5, under 14 free with paying adult otherwise £2.50.
Printed programme on the gate for £1.50.
Tickets can be purchased in advance at https://warefc.co.uk/product/ware-v-hertford-town/
The match
We like to think that all our visitors feel welcome at Wodson Park but Hertford probably have bad memories of last season’s trip. Adeniyi Gbolahan’s shot with the scores level and not much time left on the watch rebounded from a metal strut inside the goal but too quick for the assistant referee to see. It could well have led to Hertford’s first win in these matches since 2017.
They will try again and with this being Ware’s third game in six days (including one period of extra time) whilst Hertford haven’t played in the last ten they may well start as favourites.
This will be only Hertford’s second league game after their “away” match with Enfield was abandoned following a bad injury to Harry Watson to whom we wish a speedy recovery. Their scheduled league game against Northwood on Saturday was postponed due to their opponents being in an early qualifying round of the FA Trophy. What we can say is that their one league game saw them take three points from a home win over Thame United. In the FA Cup another two comfortable looking home wins have carried them into the first qualifying round at Bowers United this Saturday.
Our own season hasn’t had quite the same start though it picked up at London Lions on Saturday. However, we will be without three of the starting eleven for that game when we take the field on Monday.
Some stats
This will be the 200th meeting between the two clubs. We have yet to lose any of our eight Southern League games to Hertford and of the 103 league meetings since their founding in 1908 we have won 43 to their 38. But take heart Hertford fans, add in 96 cup and friendly games and you are ahead by 90 to 74.
The officials
The officials for this game are referee James Sedley plus assistants Brian Taylor and Rhys Collins. Let’s hope that the derby atmosphere doesn’t create too much of the wrong kind of work for them.
