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Striker Kevin Chakaodza was Edgware's
two-goal hero on Saturday as they overcome lowly Witham to pick up three
comfortable points and, in the process, ended a winless run of seven
matches - though six of them were drawn writes Harrow Observer sports
reporter John Comfort.
That keeper Darren Bonfield never had to make a save in the entire 90
minutes was a reflection of both the threat, or more accurately the lack
of threat, posed by the visitors, as well as a sound performance from
the home rearguard.
In contrast, the menace of the Edgware attack was always evident, and
the visitors can consider themselves fortunate to have got off rather
lightly, for missed chances denied the Wares a somewhat greater margin
of victory.
Both sides laboured in the heavy conditions early on but the Wares
eventually got on top and twice went close midway through the half, Rory
Smith's goal bound header from a Steve Brady cross being kept out by a
diving save from Witham keeper Paul Daley and, from the resultant corner
by Gavin Hart, Ben Hayden had a goal bound effort cleared off the line
by defender Grant O'Donnell.
With Chakaodza curling an effort just wide and Johnny Moore firing a
20-yard free kick just over the bar, and then putting another good
chance off target, it seemed that the half would end goalless. But then,
a minute before the break, Edgware finally broke the deadlock.
A good move on the left saw Moore find Paul Marks, whose short cross was
laid back by Adam Wallace for Chakaodza to drive a low shot past Daley
to put the Wares ahead.
Edgware dominated the second half - but their finishing lacked the
clinical touch. Moore scooped an early effort over when well placed,
then Hayden put Chakaodza clear, but he fired badly wide from close in.
Marks had a deflected effort saved, while Wallace was unlucky with a
cross-shot from the left, which Daley palmed onto a post and behind and
was not, with justification, best pleased when referee Sharp gave a goal
kick.
Edgware finally marked their superiority with a second goal on 70
minutes following another good move, this time down the right, which
ended with Chakaodza exchanging passes with Wallace before beating Daley
with a low shot into the corner of the net.
Edgware lost skipper Smith through injury three minutes later, but their
dominance was undisturbed and, in the closing stages, they should have
made their win decidedly more emphatic.
The tireless Stuart Blackburne was unlucky with a header, from Brady's
cross, which thumped the crossbar, while Moore was equally unfortunate
with his follow up effort, set up by Wallace, which was cleared off the
line. But Marks had no excuses for his bad miss when he headed wide of
an open goal from Hart's pinpoint cross.
However, Edgware had done more than enough to secure the points, though
their goal difference missed out on being given a significant boost.
There were plaudits afterwards for referee Phil Sharp who, apart perhaps
from harshly booking Jason Fernee, had a good game. But, as his CV
includes running the line in the 2002 World Cup Final in Japan, he was
perhaps entitled to be just that little bit better than some officials
previously encountered this season.
Edgware: Bonfield, Brady, Hart, Smith (Ingham), Hayden, Fernee,
Marks, Moore, Chakaodza (Ngoyi), Wallace, S Blackburne (Valenti).
Other subs: Davidson, R Blackburne.
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