| FA Cup 3rd qualifying round replay |
| Match report Vs Ware FC Venue: Aggborough Date: 05-10-21 Att: 906 (away fans: 53) |
Harriers storm into the next round of the FA Cup
Report: Harriershane
Following Saturday’s disappointing draw in Hertfordshire the Harriers were faced with a replay of their FA Cup Third Qualifying Round game against Ware FC.
Manager Russ Penn opted to make two changes, one of which was of course forced due to Joe Foulkes’ injury – Alex Penny his replacement – whilst Ethan Freemantle made a return to the side for Jaiden White, who dropped to the bench as Harriers played two up front.
The game wasn’t even a minute old when Geraldo Bajrami found Ethan Freemantle scampering in behind before the forward went down although the referee was unmoved by claims that he had felt some contact from behind.
Even with the game just five minutes old Harriers were getting some great success with those diagonal balls in behind with Freemantle ever the willing runner, this time he forced Bradley Robinson into a smart near post stop. Robinson would be called into action once more to push over a fizzing Mark Carrington effort as Harriers laid siege to the Ware goal; The Blues crossing the halfway line only a couple of times in the opening period of the first half.
With a quarter of an hour played the Harriers saw their best chance clear the crossbar. An Ashley Hemmings corner was nodded goalwards by Freemantle and Amari Morgan-Smith rushing in could only divert the ball off target. The goal was coming though and Harriers thought they’d scored it after twenty three minutes following more excellent play in behind by Freemantle.
Again, it was Morgan-Smith with the opportunity, but a scrambling Robinson was able to stop Morgan-Smith’s effort before it snuck over the line. Despite North Stand protestations the ball hadn’t crossed the line. It would cross the line after half an hour though, from the boot of Morgan-Smith.
That’s right, you guessed it. The goal came from yet more superb play from Freemantle as he scampered onto another searching Bajrami ball. Under pressure, Freemantle had the presence of mind to poke the ball square, where his strike partner was waiting to avail himself of his latest opportunity. This time, he couldn’t miss.
Ten minutes later the lead was deservedly doubled. Another Hemmings corner caused more issues for the Ware backline with Bajrami flicking the ball on where Freemantle was rushing in at the back post to finish with aplomb, leaving Robinson with no chance and getting a goal his play had absolutely merited in an all action first half display.
HT: 2 – 0
Departing at half time as a precaution was Mark Carrington with Jaiden White coming on in his place.
Ware created an early chance for themselves through the play of Robbie Buchanan who forced a smart save against a – to date – under occupied Luke Simpson.
A couple more half chances for Ware came and went as you felt Harriers were just feeling out their visitors again in the second half, with the game significantly quietening down in the first fifteen minutes of the half. Both sides shared efforts that found their way off target as the game began to somewhat meander towards a conclusion, as seems to be the case in many games where there is a comfortable lead for a superior side.
White, Bajrami and Keziah Martin would all attempt to give Harriers the three goal cushion their first half at least merited but when the goal did come ten minutes from time it did so from an unlikely source.
Following another cutting Harriers move, Jaiden White found himself with the time and space to lift in a cross, where Alex Penny was arriving late at the back post to expertly steer a header past Robinson.
That goal was the third goal scored from a Harriers right back this season. After the goal the Harriers seemed to find a little bit of the swagger that was so evident in the first half, with both Hemmings and White almost adding an even more comfortable outlook to the scoreline.
As it happens the damage to Ware was done in the first half as Harriers got the job done and secured a visit next week to Bedfont Sports, a London-based Step 4 team based in the shadows of Heathrow Airport.
At least if the football’s not great we can enjoy a spot of plane-spotting instead…
FT: 3 – 0
Goals for Harriers: Morgan-Smith 29, Freemantle 40, Penny 81
The Harriers Online MotM is: Ethan Freemantle
Talk about the game here
Latest table and stats here
| Harriers | Goals | Subs | Time | Cards |
| Simpson | ||||
| Penny |  | |||
| Richards | ||||
| Cameron | ||||
| Bajrami |  | 82 | ||
| Carrington |  | 46 | ||
| Austin | ||||
| Martin | ||||
| Morgan-Smith | | |||
| Hemmings | ||||
| Freemantle | |  | 77 | |
| Subs: | ||||
| Emery | ||||
| Lowe |  | 82 | ||
| Bell |  | 77 | ||
| White |  | 46 | ||
| Lissimore | ||||
| Tolley | ||||
| Ware FC | Goals | Subs | Time | Cards |
| Robinson | ||||
| Adamson | ||||
| Louis Rose | ||||
| Arthur | ||||
| Buchanan | | 82 | ||
| Mulley | | 59 | ||
| Skandari | ||||
| Millner | ||||
| Adu-Donyinha | | 64 | ||
| Hope | ||||
| Leigh Rose | ||||
| Subs: | ||||
| Gannon | ||||
| Bruno | | 59 | ||
| Dulson | | 64 | ||
| Crowter | | 82 | ||
| Esprit | ||||
| Kendall | ||||
| Rumens | ||||
| Referee: | ||||
| Mr Greg Rollason | ||||
| Worcester | ||||