INCREDIBLE FIGHT BACK EARNS TOWN A POINT
Ware 3 Enfield Town 3
Ryman League Divison One (North)
On a bitterly cold night in Hertfordshire local rivals Ware and Enfield Town played out a remarkable game of two halves to take a share of the spoils at Wodson Park tonight.
The first half belonged to Ware, who with ex Towner's Luke Marshall and Bradley Drisdale on either wing looked very sharp going forward and deserved their 3-0 lead at the break.
Town had some of the play but the ball just didn't seem to fall for them with both forwards Liam Hope and Adam Wallace not getting any chances in on target. The Ware centre back pairing of Siwft and Turpin looked very impressive and strong turning in a great performance.
Ware took the lead after about 10 minutes when the pacey Drisdale got in on the right hand side past Michael Bardle to put in a low cross the the near post which was turned into the net to make it 1-0.
Luke Marshall then made it 2-0 to the home side with a deflected shot and made it 3-0 just prior to 45 minutes when Town's defence produced another error allowing Marshall to fire home to the delight of the Ware fans gathered behind the goal.
At half time Town fans were very puzzled as to what they had seen. It was the worst performance for a long-time against a bright sharp looking Ware side who looked well up for the game with some good forward play which dazzled the Town players on the field.
Town came out in the second half and had the better of the opening exchanges with a Liam Hope chip just going over the bar and Ben Hammond having a shot from the edge of the box cleared off the line. It was then most supporters present thought it was just going to be one of those nights and a really bad day at the office by Town.
The management duo of Steve and Del then in a move reminiscent of Barry Fry, carried out a triple substitution hauling off Rudi Hall, Adam Wallace and Sam Byfield to be replaced by Andy Jones, Fabio Valenti and Stuart Blackburne.
Ware centre-back then scored a peach of an own-goal when a long ball was hoisted forward by Town for the unlucky player to slice it in to his own net, the ball looping over his keeper.
It gave some fans present some hope but even the most ardent of supporters present thought it was just a consolation.
Up stepped hero Stuart Blackburne who slotted home from the edge of the six yard box to make it 2-3 and set up a grandstand finish to the game. It was he who scored the all important and unbelievable equaliser. Stuart received the ball on the right hand side of the box and smashed home into the net at the keeper's nearside to mass celebration from Town fans, players and management present. See below for footage of this brilliant piece of Enfield Town history!! Some fans got so carried away an expletive or two was muttered for which I must warn you if you watch the footage.
Town piled on the pressure at the end but couldn't find a winner, the end result being 3-3.
The performance in the first half was below-par and lacked any passion with Town being caught cold by Ware's snappy attacking play.
However, The positive fight back and spirit on display in the second half was exceptional.
To keep chasing a game where we were quite rightly 3-0 down shows what a special group of players Steve and Del have put together. Other teams would have folded and played out the game to lose by more goals........................All the things that were missing in the first half came back in the second........................Definitely a point gained!!
ETFC
Blackburne R, Lockie, Bardle, McKay, Kirby, Marks, Hammond, Hall (Jones), Hope, Wallace (Blackburne S), Byfield (Valenti)
Subs unused - Holmes, Blower.
Att - 177
UP THE TOWN - THE ROAD TO THE PLAY-OFFS 2010
No comments:
Post a Comment