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Not since September 16th had Edgware come away with
nothing to show from a SSML Premier Division Match, but at the White
Lion Ground this afternoon, their proud run of 23 unbeaten league
matches came to an end as the 'Wares' went down by three goals to one
against a well organised Welwyn Garden City side who had to cope with
being down to ten men after their keeper was shown the red card midway
through the second half writes Gavin Shaw.
Edgware's Achilles heel this season has been that on
occasion they have been slow out of the blocks, and have waited till
conceding the first goal of the match before coming back and winning,
sooner or later this was going to catch up with them and when the
‘Citizens’, Matt Wardle scored an early goal on 14 minutes and team
Captain Anthony Beamish added to their tally less than 5 minutes later,
Edgware were faced with a two goal deficit in a home league match for
the first time this season. Both the goals, though well taken were
results of poor defensive marking by the 'Wares' who allowed their
visitors too much space in front of goal.
With just over half an hour of the first half gone the
home management changed Lee Gardner for Johnny Moore and Ben Cain for
Greg Ngoyi but still Edgware failed to test the visiting keeper in a
very lethargic first half display by the table topping 'Wares.
Joint manager Steve Newing, gave the home side the 'hairdryer' treatment
at the interval, and the side responded with a much livelier second half
performance; substitute Greg Ngoyi proved a handful for the visitors
defenders and he brought the deficit back to one goal as he headed in
from close range after Richard Morton's shot had struck the bar 10
minutes into the second half.
Edgware now in the ascendancy, were pushing further forward and with the
Citizens now defending in numbers; the game appeared to turn in
Edgware's favour with the dismissal of the visiting keeper having
brought down Adam Wallace when clear in on goal; from the resultant free
kick, Richard Morton stepped up and unleashed his now trademark
thunderbolt shot, but to everyone's amazement, the stand-in keeper
pulled of a remarkable diving save with his first touch of the ball.
Edgware had plenty of possession but failed to really
trouble the replacement keeper.
Vince Rispoli had an effort saved, and Morton saw a
rasping shot crash against the underside of the crossbar as the home
side went in search of an equalising goal.
There was always a danger that pushing forward in numbers would leave
Edgware open to a counter attack and WGC duly took advantage minutes
into injury time at the end of the game, Beamish beat the offside trap
and hit Edgware on the break to score his second and the visitors third
putting an end to any hopes of the 'Wares' salvaging something from the
match.
The defeat brings an end to Edgware's proud home league record of twelve
straight wins. Second placed Hertford Town dropped further points being
held to a 0-0 draw at lowly Biggleswade Town, which means Edgware's lead
at the top of the table is only cut by a point, to leave the 'Ware's
10pts clear.
The team to watch are Harefield United who if they were
to win their 4 games in hand would be just 3pts behind the 'Wares' who
face them on Tuesday night at the White Lion Ground!
EDGWARE : R Blackburne, Lewis, Kane(Rispoli), Smith,
Buchanan, Gardner(Moore), Morton, Cain(Ngoyi), Wallace, Hart.
OTHER SUBS: Ferneé, Bonfield
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