MK Irish vs Ware

The wait for Milton Keynes Irish’s first league home win of the season continued as the home side fell to a 4-3 loss after a late spirited fightback from ten-man Ware. 

Milton Keynes Irish were in front after two minutes when Ryan Smith’s powerful first-time effort crashed past Logan Timothy after the midfielder found himself on the end of Owen Brooks’ incredible mazy run to give the home side an early lead. 

Milton Keynes Irish continued to pressure the Ware defence and an impressive save was enough to stop Owen Brooks from doubling the lead when he got on the end of Mason Spence’s rapid break. 

The Ware resistance would be broken for the second time after Harry Guess’ strike was pushed around the post for a corner, and Stephen Brooks’ lofted ball found Rev Kalek, who towered above his marker to hand the Irish a seemingly comfortable two goal advantage. 

Theophilus Ofori proved to be a thorn in the side for Terry Shrieves’ squad for the entire afternoon and the winger burst past Ryan Kelsey before playing a pinpoint cross to Reece Beckles-Richards, who swivelled on a sixpence to roll a low effort past Tom Ladyman to cut the deficit to one in an instant. 

Ofori completed the comeback for the away side after 18 minutes when he cut inside Ryan Smith and skipped past multiple challenges before firing an effort through a sea of MK Irish defenders to hand Paul Halsey’s side a shock equaliser.

Milton Keynes Irish retook the lead just minutes later when Stephen Brooks and Rev Kalek attempted an exact repeat of their second goal but this time, Jay Rolfe was adjudged to block his goalline effort with his hand. 

The referee was left with no choice to send him off and award a penalty to the Irish, which was comfortably dispatched by JJ Meadows to send his side into a 3-2 lead. 

The red card unsurprisingly swung the game in Milton Keynes Irish’s favour and it was clear that the home side were happy to dominate possession and create countless chances throughout the rest of the fixture. 

Ryan Kelsey and Harry Guess saw efforts from range fly over the target before Ryan Smith stung the hands of Timothy from 25 yards out. 

Ware almost grabbed an equaliser before halftime when Josip Jevdjic was picked out inside Ladyman’s six-yard-box but the player could only cannon his close-range strike against the woodwork. 

Milton Keynes Irish would also have their own chance before the break, when Ryan Kelsey was brought down for a freekick and Mason Spence’s low drive underneath the wall was kept out well by Timothy before the referee blew his whistle for halftime. 

The home side pushed on to try and extend their lead and their first big chance came when a quick freekick was played short to Owen Brooks and his cross was pushed towards an onrushing Mason Spence, but the attacker could only send his shot over the crossbar from 12 yards out. 

Owen Brooks put in a stellar performance on the wing for the Irish on the weekend, doing almost everything but score and his most recent effort was a volley from the edge of the box that flew agonisingly over the bar. 

Ware would employ long ball tactics to try and get back into this game and they nearly scored an equaliser when Samuel Kifwasima-Mayama sat down his defender with a quick turn before sending a powerful effort goalwards that had to be pushed away expertly by Ladyman for a corner. 

Mason Spence had an effort from distance pushed over well by Timothy before Owen Brooks skipped past his defender, however, his curling effort was always rising past the top corner. 

Kalek had a chance to double his goal tally from a corner but he could only redirect Mason Spence’s corner just wide of the post under heavy pressure from his marker. 

These wasted chances always left Ware in the match and finally, a long ball from Ware was taken down and found its way to Kifwasima-Mayama, who curled an expert finish into the top right corner, leaving Ladyman no chance to get his side back on level terms. 

With the home side visibly shaken, another longball was played in behind the high Milton Keynes Irish backline and substitute Caiden Remy-Dee burst through one on one against Ladyman before playing a low finish past Ladyman to hand his side the lead for the first time in the fixture. 

Kelvin Ossei-Addo and Matt Haworth had half chances to try and grab an equaliser but it was the away side that held on to win their third league game of the season and leave MK Irish’s hopes of survival in a rather perilous position.