Wars go out of Div 1 Cup

Warlingham travelled to Worcester Park on Saturday in the league cup 1st round. James Ang was absent and Dean Suckling replaced Kevin Vidal at the back, while Liam Neaves returned from a stint in the reserves allowing Ritchie White to play further forward. Warlingham started slowly and as of recent weeks gave a goal away early when hesitancy at the back allowed Worcester Park a soft goal to go 1-0 up after just 5 mins.

The goal unsettled Wars at the back and Park got a corner on 10 mins. from which their giant centre back out jumped Ritchie White to put them 2-0 up. Doherty changed the formation and played a front 3 of Mart, Joseph and Lee Janson and almost straight away Warlingham began to get back into the match. Mart crossed for Neaves whose header went just wide. On 30 mins Mart beat the offside trap only for the keeper to save, but Wars best effort was on 43 mins when Nash beat the full back and crossed to an unmarked Neaves who shot from 1 yard only to see the keeper stop from point blank range and keep the score 2-0 at half time.

As poor as they had started Wars ended the half really pinning Park back but just needed to finish a chance .The second half began and on 48 mins Nash yet again got behind his full back this time crossing to the unmarked Mart who somehow managed to get the ball stuck in his feet when only feet from the goal line and the chance was yet again squandered. Parks goal was truly living on borrowed time and Wars looked as if they would score sooner than later. It was the home side who got the break though when a low cross come shot was collected by keeper Danny Eaton only for the young keeper to somehow let the ball slip under his body to gift the home side their 3rd goal on52 mins.

The goal knocked the wind out of Warlingham and you could see the players wilt as the game slipped away. Doherty replaced Hodge and Janson with Bygraves and Bugden on 65mins, yet almost immediately Worcester Park added a 4th with the best move of the game. A one, two on the edge of the box finished with a neat shot past Eaton. Young Stephan Joseph managed to fire home a consolation goal but all in all it was a bad day at the office for Wars.

TEAM Danny Eaton, James Hodge, Dean Suckling, Jack Higgins, Ritchie White, Paul Stuart, Paul Nash, Simon Mart, Liam Neaves, Lee Janson, Stephan Joseph

SUBS Ricky Bygraves, Martin Bugden not used Tom Greenhouse