With Ware unbeaten in ten games and Aylesbury not having won in nine, supporters might have been worried that the gods of football would be looking on and toying with them. Surely this game was ripe for an away win upset.
It did look possible for more than half the game. In what was an even first half it was the Ducks who created the more dangerous chances with Ware scrambling the ball away unconvincingly from dangerous situations. Twice in quick succession Fred Burbidge made rapid reaction saves to keep his goal intact whilst another good chance midway through the half saw a cross-cum-shot begging to be hit home only to go marginally wide.
The miss proved costly a few minutes later when Ware took the lead. With United distracted with a penalty claim after another attack the ball was cleared to Gucci Soulya-Osekanongo whose cross field pass found Theo Ofori in open space. Ware’s number seven took the ball forward, turned quickly to leave two defenders stranded on the edge of their area and then advanced on goal before shooting beyond keeper Luke Daley.
When United equalised seven minutes into the second half after Songona-Mory Kone banged home a loose ball following another goal mouth scramble the game appeared wide open. Certainly, its end to end character continued though it was perhaps significant that Ware, already with four second half corners prompting a Jay Rolfe shot against the underside of the bar to their credit, continued to increase the total until the final whistle.
Yet, rather than a corner, it was a Burbidge long range clearance landing deep in the Ducks’ half that led to Ware retaking the lead. Despite the close attention of two defenders, Sam Mayuma took and retained possession of the ball and did so even when Daley joined in the argument. Breaking free of their interference he manoeuvred an opening for himself to shoot into what was now an empty net. A goal thanks to his sheer determination.
With the game still well balanced the next goal would be important and it came to Ware. Ofori, twisting and turning wide on the edge of the United area eventually saw his chance and passed the ball across the box. There was Gabriel Chapps to drive it low into the net with Daley beaten to his left.
It was 4-1 two minutes later; and it was Ofori again employing his ability to retain possession in a similar position though this time a little deeper into the Ducks penalty area. It seemed he might be doing too much and holding on to the ball for too long but once more the sudden glimpse of an opening encouraged him to shoot low. A surprised Daley was wrong footed and this time beaten to his right.
Ware were comfortable now but Aylesbury pulled a goal back and can take some consolation from the fact that it was the first time the home side had conceded more than one goal in a game since their last defeat in January. It would be hard to deny United their second goal but a deflected cross that hit Joe Dearman and looped quite slowly just inside a post suggested that the gods had indeed had their moment of fun.
If so, they made amends as Ware scored twice within a minute during added time. Their mounting total of corners had produced very little until George Ironton took over responsibility for them. His corner in the 93rd minute dropped perfectly for Soulya-Osekanongo in the six yard area to rise and nod the ball home with the Aylesbury defence offering little to stop him.
In less than sixty seconds it was 6-2. William St Clair-Burton’s back pass was intercepted by Ike Okwusogu and despite pressure from a recovering defence he calmly completed the scoring for his second league goal of the season.
It was a good win for Ware who could have taken things easy given they have no promotion or relegation concerns. They had also lost Lewis Thomas injured in the first half although this did then bring the welcome return of Mitch Hahn. Blues are now exactly middle of the table and hoping not to go any lower.
Ware: Fred Burbidge, Chukuma Okotcha, Joe Dearman, Sami Moutawafiq (George Ironton 60mins), Jay Rolfe, Lewis Thomas (Mitch Hahn 43mins), Theo Ofori (Johnny Allotey 85mins), Max Granville, Jon Clements (Garbriel Chapps 75mins), Gucci Soulya-Osekanongo, Sam Mayuma (Ike Okwusogu 71mins).
