Ware 1 – 5 Wealdstone
Ware1QR
1 - 5
WealdstoneWare did we go ?
A 5 – 1 score line in favour of Wealdstone but it was nearly so different.
Wealdstone started brightly in this FA Cup tie, but it was Ware that had the first chance, a good save from Carter preventing Haag from opening the scoring, Wealdstone getting on top as the match progressed. On 14 minutes they opened the scoring when a cross field ball from Lamb was chested on by Somers, collecting the ball without breaking stride he ran straight on goal and his shot beat the home keeper as he came out.
Twelve minutes later and another move saw Somers break into the crowded penalty area with the ball at his feet, shaking off three challenges he was then brought down on the edge of the six yard box, and Lee Walker coolly slotted home the penalty to give Stones a 2-0 lead.
Wealdstone kept up the pressure until half time and should have gone further ahead, two excellent crosses from Pither, on for the injured Tilbury, just too good for the Stones forwards although both Hammatt and walker had chances to increase the lead, but it remained 2-0 up to the interval.
The second half saw a change around. Ware made a half time substitution, Chard coming on and giving them far more width and for fifteen minutes, Wealdstone were limited to clearing their lines, while Ware had the visitors under pressure, scoring on 58 minutes when Haag met a deep cross and made no mistake from close in. Ware continued to attack and both Haag and Greene had chances to make the scores level, carter making a couple of crucial saves as Stones lost their way.
From a rare attack however Wealdstone won a corner on 75 minutes, McDonnagh floating the ball in and as the keeper missed his punch, Fergus Moore was on hand to score the third Wealdstone goal. This unsettled Ware and Stones forced their way forward again, Hammatt and walker again could both have scored another, but it was not long in coming. Another corner from McDonnagh and the home keeper stayed on his line, the ball falling to Pither who shot home from 6 yards to al but seal the victory.
Bryan Hammatt then saw a shot spin to safety of the goalkeepers legs and moments later another hit a post before being cleared and it seemed only a matter of time before Wealdstone would score again. On 85 minutes, they did when a ball through the defence from Moore found Hammatt who took two touches before drilling the ball low into the far corner to give Stones an emphatic victory that for a period at the start of the second half looked unlikely.
Wealdstone: Andy Carter, Robin Tucker (b89), Fergus Moore (75), Richard McDonnagh, Shayne Chandler (s80 Danny Reeve), Paul Lamb, Vinny Somers (14, s80 Dennis Greene), Jason Shaw, Lee Walker (p26), Bryan Hammatt (85), Danny Tilbury (s21 Ricky Pither, 79) Subs not used: Robert Connelly, Billy Amarteifio.