Wingate & Finchley 2 Ware 2

Wingate & Finchley were denied a win over local neighbours Ware in the final friendly of the summer, after the visitors staged a late combeack from a two goal deficit. The first half was cagey with a lack of clear cut opportunities, and for Wingate Marc Henry went closest with a near post header that missed the target. However Ware looked comfortable to let Wingate hold possession as they looked to hit on the counter. One such attack down the right side was only averted by a superb sliding tackle in the box from Daniel Nielsen as the Ware winger shaped to shoot. Lewis Jones intercepted a slack pass outside the left edge of Ware's box to create a dangerous break for Wingate, and he set up Anderson Pinto and Leon Smith who both had shots from ten yards blocked in quick succession. The second half was a more open affair and Ware striker Green took a potshot from 30 yards as the ball sat up nicely for him, but the dipping volley flew over the crossbar. Lewis Jones again was alert to make an interception and this time he set up Marcus Milner though his shot was hooked narrowly wide of the left post. Wingate finally took the lead ten minutes into the second half as young winger Anderson Pinto tapped home a low cross at the far post. Fifteen minutes later and he had doubled his tally. John Kyriacou, pushed forwards from his initial right-back berth, reached the right byeline and pulled the ball back to Pinto who had found space in the box. With a sweet strike he drilled the ball low into the near corner past the despairing keeper's dive. Ware pulled one back with a penalty with fifteen minutes remaining. As Murat Karagul found himself marking the right winger he was adjudged to have clipped him in the box - Shane Wyllie slotting home the spot kick. The returning Josh Cooper was one of many substitutions in this half, and he struck the crossbar with a deflected chip. However Ware levelled the scores late on as Wyllie converted another penalty in stoppage time. The season starts next week for Wingate with a visit of Canvey Island to Summers Lane on Saturday.