PLAY OFF CHANCES ALL BUT OVER AT WODSON PARK

ELEVENTH TIME LUCKY FOR WARE

Enfield Town's chances of a play-off place are all but over after Saturday's 2-1 defeat against local rival's Ware. In a very scrappy game on a bone dry bouncy pitch neither team created many clear cut chances with home goalkeeper Obey Murefu putting a a very good performance and seemingly claiming every cross and corner the Town put into his box. Ware opened the scoring through Ryan Wade who with the ball at the edge of the box expertly lofted it over Rob Blackburne into the net via the far post on 54 minutes. Town applied the pressure and following some good work by Jon Moore on the right hand side of box Liam Hope managed to scramble the ball home just off the line on 80 minutes. With the game looking like it was going to end all square Rob Blackburne spilled the ball on the edge of the box right on 90 minutes allowing Ware youngster and substitute Leigh Rose to calmly slot the ball into an open net and set about the celebrations for the Ware players and supporters who have had to wait eleven competitive matches to beat the Town.

The only other real chances Town had in the rest of the match was Adam Wallace receiving the ball in the left hand side of the box and getting some sort of contact on the ball only for it to bounce over the bar following an excellent reflex save from Murefu. In the second half Mark Kirby was very unlucky with his looping header from a corner which was in turn expertly headed off the line by a Ware player.


Ware celebrate after the final whistle

 All through the match Ware's defence closed down well allowing Town no space and played a very high line causing a number of offside decisions in the first half in particulatly. From where the cold end was standing which was near enough in line with them all - it can be confirmed that all the decisions that were made were correct.



Town substitute Jey Siva walks away from the celebrating Ware players

 Which brings me round to some Town fans who seem to continually shout at the referee and assistant referees throughout the game whenever the whistle is blown or when the flag is raised yet when the same decision is made down the other end for the opposing team they keep quite for some reason. You'll never get away from some swearing at football (last year's game at Ware is now famous for the same supporter letting out some industrial language in a joyful way when Stuart Blackburne scored the third equalising goal.....check out the video on 2 mins 40 secs when Ryan Wade scores Ware's first goal and it's the same fan in form again in a more frustrated fashion....should he get a two game ban like Wayne Rooney???) or from the men or ladies in the middle getting some stick as it's part and parcel of the game for supporters to have some banter with them and the opposing side players and supporters.

 The Ware programme reports of the referee for their last home game against Heybridge Swifts reported the club for the verbal abuse he received. The programme states 'We may not like some refereeing decisions but as adults we have to accept them whilst any young supporters will not get their parent's consent to attend if the bad language continues. Please enjoy the game but enter into the spirit of it in a sporting manner'. Very wise words indeed that we all should take note of.


Obey Murefu celebrates post match with Ware players and staff

 On a more positive note the exchange between the same Town fan and the assistant about the Mark Kirby header is what non-league football is all about. It's on the video at 3mins 40 seconds. The assistant was a very good sport all through the second half and explained all his decisions which was really good to see.

The cold end says fair play to Ware for taking their chances well and putting a massive dent in Enfield Town's play off chances.

CURRENT RYMAN DIVISION ONE (NORTH) TABLE - TOP NINE ONLY
                       P  W  D  L  GF GA  GD PTS PP CF
1 East Thurrock United 36 28 4  4  81 33 +48 88 100 WWWWWW
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2 Needham Market       35 24 7  4  87 42 +45 79 94  DWDDWL
3 Brentwood Town       37 20 7  10 70 49 +21 67 76  WWWLLW 
4 Harlow Town          36 19 6  11 55 47 + 8 63 75  DWWWDW 
5 Wingate & Finchley   36 18 8  10 60 49 +11 62 74  DLWLWW
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6 AFC Sudbury          36 16 10 10 72 60 +12 58 70  DWWDDD
7 Maldon & Tiptree     36 16 9  11 64 58 + 6 57 69  LDWDLW
8 Enfield Town         36 17 5  14 67 44 +23 56 68  DWLWWL
9 Romford              35 15 7  13 57 54 + 3 52 67  WDLLLL

For the Town to qualify for the play-offs all the remaining four games need to be won and AFC Sudbury need to lose one of their remaining four games, Maldon and Tiptree lose or draw one of their remaining four games and Wingate and Finchley lose two of their remaining four games. I'm sure their are other permutations but the long and short of it is that it's an outside shot now for the Town to finish in the top five!!

At the top of the league, East Thurrock United, following their 2-1 victory over Needham Market, need only 2 wins and a draw from their final four games that is if Needham Market win all their remaining games.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS ARE BELOW (INC ALL THREE GOALS AND SOME INDUSTRIAL LANGUAGE...PLEASE DON'T WATCH IF YOUR EASILY OFFENDED)