Ware 1 FC Romania 1

Despite playing with ten men for 80 minutes FC Romania held on for a share of the points and will feel pleased to have come back from a goal down. It was the first time this season that Ware have opened the scoring in a game, Tom Bruno's 25 yard daisy cutting screamer after 21 minutes giving Adrian Darabant little chance. There was a sense of poetic justice about Bruno's first goal for the club as he had been the recipient of a head butt from Felix Lupu after nine minutes which saw the visitors' number four sample Ware's showers alone.

It might have been thought that the flood gates would open after Bruno's goal but the visitors held to their task to frustrate the Blues for the rest of the game. It stands FC Romania in good stead that despite them losing a man so early in the game they withstood the physically sapping effects and any pressure Ware might apply without resorting to a substitute until almost the end of the game. The home side had played all three of their options by then in the hope that fresh legs would help wear down their opponents.

Ware started the game with several notable changes from Sunday's 3-3 draw against the same opponents. Tom Boxer, Kardan Campbell and Tobi Adekunle were all left on the bench with Dajour Buffonge, Liam Hope and Alaa Oujdi starting. It was thought by some that Hope was unavailable but having missed Saturday's match he was replaced after an hour.

Oujdi was even more lacking in match fitness having not played a first team game since his injury in the 6-1 win at South Park in February. Perhaps it was to be expected that he only lasted to just beyond half time allowing Jordon Watson to come on but he will have benefited from the experience of his 192nd appearance for the club.

FC Romania of course did not just sit back and defend and had their moments even before Gabriel Ghinea scored their equaliser just past the hour mark. Calum Kitscha had already denied Sergiu Maximov when he was through on goal but Ghinea's shot was not to be denied.

Ware came back as the clock ticked down and Patrick Adamson had two good chances, the first being saved by Darabant whilst the second came off the keeper's post. Olu Akinsanya also hit an upright at the very end but the visitors probably felt they had deserved the draw after a dogged performance.

Either club could have moved into the play-off places had they won this game and displaced fifth placed Harlow. As it is Ware remain undefeated so far this season and have risen to sixth in the table but to rise higher they will need to finish off teams in this kind of situation. Meanwhile both clubs meet again in a week's time to settle their FA Cup preliminary round tie and see who entertains Leiston in the next round.

Ware: Calum Kitscha, Harry Norman, Patrick Adamson, Leigh Rose, Louis Rose, Gareth Madden, Dajour Buffonge, (Tobi Adekunle 81mins), Tom Bruno, Liam Hope (Jason Brown 62mins), Olu Akinsanya, Alaa Oujdi (Jordon Watson 52mins). Unused subs: Kardan Campbell, Tom Boxer.