In an up and down season morale went decidedly up after Ware bagged another three points at the Alfred Davis Memorial Ground. There were no worries about a repeat of Saturday’s slow start after Blues played some of their best football of the year so far.
Ware’s starting line-up and entire squad was identical to Saturday when Blues had scored a good 4-0 win. It is tempting to talk in terms of a well-oiled, pre-programmed machine when the comparison to that game extends to Rechan Esprit coming on for Jack Taylor, a replication of the situation against Northwood even down to the timing on 66 minutes. Is there now a pre-written formula for every game?
Certainly Ware were responding well to whatever instructions they had before kick-off, moving the ball around with quick, incisive passes that had the home side on the back foot for the opening twenty minutes. They could have taken a clear lead in that time but their inability to convert pressure into goals led to frustration on the bench and amongst the travelling support.
That said they did have the ball in the net midway through the half. Sam Mayuma’s cross from the left dropped into the six yard box where keeper Tyrese Kamara failed to take full control of it. The invite was too tempting for Josh Hutchinson and the ball was scrambled over the line after contact with Kamara that was ruled a foul by referee Thomas Hood.
Mayuma was involved in another chance minutes later when, after combining with David Sota, his cross was met by Reece Beckles-Richards who shot against Kamara’s right hand post. Beckles-Richards has been given a different role since Theo Ofori’s absence. The man who hits goals from close range is showing some deft skills out wide as a play maker rather than finisher.
He can be good to watch but without him in the middle, goals, as on this occasion, can be harder to come by. So just as well Mayuma is back and scoring his first goal since October after a long injury lay-off.
The timing was good too after Marlow had made a better start to the second half and kept Ware in their own half for the opening period. That ended after 55 minutes when Finlay Titchmarsh’s lob from the half way line to the edge of the Marlow penalty area found Mayuma running on to it. He took two touches before shooting past the advancing Kamara.
After that the game settled into a more even contest which opened up space for Ware’s front men. This in turn led to their second goal at the mid-point of the half. Hutchinson’s shot had just been cleared only for a second attack to develop. Jack Taylor’s ball into the six yard area found the waiting Beckles-Richards whose first time shot doubled Ware’s lead.
With the match seemingly won he and Taylor were then immediately withdrawn to give time on the pitch to Esprit and Johnny Allotey. There were more chances not least when Gucci Soulya-Osekanongo glanced the a shot off the Marlow post on ninety minutes.
Still, Marlow made a good contest of it but found the Ware defence, well led by Jack Grosvenor, in good form. A penalty claim saw Shamar Moore cautioned for simulation but he obviously felt hard done to by the decision. His resentment got the better of him later when he abused the assistant referee for another decision. It earned him a second yellow and an early bath.
An otherwise peaceful contest finished with Ware up to seventh in the table and facing a trip to lowly Aylesbury on Saturday. Paul Halsey spoke after the match about how pleased he was with the performance and result but also warned of the need to carry this form into the Aylesbury game. For that Ware will be without Sota who is unavailable so the machine will need to be tinkered with. Despite that hopes of a continuing resurgence remain buoyant amongst supporters.
Line-ups and cards.
Ware: Fred Burbidge, Finlay Titchmarsh (Gabriel Ward 78mins), David Sota, Sami Moutawafiq, Josh Okotcha, Jack Grosvenor (C), Sam Mayuma (Jay Rolfe 90mins), Max Granville (Gucci Soulya-Osekanongo 75mins), Josh Hutchinson, Jack Taylor (Rechan Esprit 66mins), Reece Beckles-Richards (Johnny Allotey 66mins). Unused sub: Jay Rolfe.
No cards.
Marlow: Tyrese Kamara, Abdallah Khalil (Toby Raggett 75mins), Chris Lutonadio (Shamar Moore 63mins), Jacob Wilson (Louie Alexander Carr 78mins), Sebastian D’Aversa, Alex Salmon, Chies Overton (C), Flavio Gyawu-Kyem, Alfie Agar (Enrique Ngizafumu Tiamuna 83mins), Kwesi Adu-Gyemfi Ntim, Jack Empson. Unused sub: Calvin Gitiba.
Yellow cards: Shamar Moore 83mins, Toby Raggett 86mins.
Red card: Shamar Moore (second yellow) 88mins.
