Whitstable will have to travel to Hertfordshire on Tuesday evening for a replay at Wodson Park after a good comeback in an exciting second half at the Belmont. With light rain falling for most of the afternoon, Ware had the better of the first half, although a well taken goal by John Ufuah gave Whitstable the lead. It did not last long however as Olu Akinsanya headed Ware level from a corner and added a second from close range just before the break. Dan Eason made some good saves to keep his team in the game, before Whitstable gradually got on top in the second half and deservedly equalised when the returning TJ Jadama shot past Calum Kitscha. The home team, cheered on by some good support in a crowd of 282, gave everything and pressed forward to find a late winner, but Ware almost snatched victory with a couple of late opportunities in added time. It was a great advert for Step 4 football on Non-League Day and the teams will try again in three days’ time.

For their second FA Trophy game this season, Whitstable were once again drawn against a South Central Division team, having won at Chalfont St Peter in the previous round. Ware have started the season well and lost their first competitive game only in the last week when narrowly failing to reach the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup, so this tie looked likely to be a good test for an improving Whitstable team that had won its last three games. Whitstable were without several players, as Connor Sanders joined the list of those unfit to start and Liam Dickson was also not risked. Young midfielder Liam Gillies, who had played well in the previous game, was unavailable. TJ Jadama was fit to return though, after missing the past few games and Harry Stannard was on the bench, having scored for the reserves last week, as he continues his recovery from long term injury.

Whitstable almost took a very early lead when a free kick on the right was swung in by Marshall Wratten and an unmarked Josh Spencer headed the ball back across the goal, where Kitscha got down to push the ball out and it was scrambled away as Aaron Millbank tried to follow up. In the 15th minute, Eason was called upon to make his first save as the ball was driven in from a narrow angle by Patrick Adamson. Shortly afterwards, a Ware free kick was played short for Dan Rumens, who hit a powerful shot from distance that Eason did well to parry and fortunately for Whitstable, Joshua Williams was unable to control the rebound. Akinsanya, who scored at the Belmont for Cheshunt last season in a Velocity Trophy game that Whitstable won 4-3, made a good run before his shot was also saved by Eason. Somewhat against the run of play, Whitstable took the lead in the 29th minute when Wratten broke well on the right before playing the ball across the field to Ufuah, who took the ball into the box, made himself space and hit a left footed shot into the far corner.

Ware were soon back on the attack and Tom Bryant did well to clear a dangerous ball into the box, but from the corner that followed, Tom Bruno’s delivery was headed in by Akinsanya. Whitstable did have a couple of chances to retake the lead, when firstly Wratten had his shot blocked after a promising run and then, after Rumens had been shown a yellow card for a poor challenge, Ufuah got past his marker, but his shot was well blocked by a diving Dave Kendall. Eason had to be alert to keep out a good in-swinging Bruno corner that had been unnecessarily conceded, but then in the 45th minute, Ware scored again. Adamson was allowed to run through, with the home defence appealing for offside, before lifting the ball over Eason towards goal, where Akinsanya made sure it crossed the line. Alaa Oujdi had a low shot comfortably saved by Eason in stoppage time and Ware went into the break 2-1 ahead.

Stannard was introduced in place of Leo Mazzone as the teams came out for the second half. Liam Hope shot over the bar following an early Ware corner, then Stannard shot just wide from 20 yards at the other end. It looked as though the visitors were about to extend their lead in the 53rd minute, when a good right wing cross found Akinsanya with just Eason to beat; he failed to do so, but an offside flag would have ruled it out in any case. The balance of play was gradually changing and by the hour mark, Whitstable were becoming an increasing threat. A good through ball by Jake Mackenzie was just inches ahead of Wratten who had got free in the box, but Ware were still a danger on the break and Williams played the ball into Oujdi, whose shot struck a defender. Marcus Elliott replaced Wratten on 67 minutes and then from a Whitstable free kick, Spencer had a back post header pushed behind for a corner. Stannard and Millbank both had efforts easily saved, before Whitstable drew level in the 75th minute. Mackenzie delivered the ball into the box from the right and with Elliott and Millbank challenging, it was cleared as far as Jadama, whose low shot beat the diving Kitscha from 20 yards.

Spencer made a timely defensive challenge in his own box as Ware tried to raise their game once more, then Bruno had a shot well saved by Eason. The game went from end to end in the last 10 minutes or so, with the crowd trying to urge their teams forward to find a late winner. Kitscha came out to beat Elliott to a through ball, then a high punt by Bryant into the box almost led to a goal, but the Ware defence somehow managed to keep the ball out and prevent Elliott applying the finish. Bruno became the second Ware player booked as Whitstable increased the pressure and Jadama had a shot deflected past the post. There were good chances at both ends in added time, as a stray Whitstable pass gifted Akinsanya a sight of goal, but he curled the ball straight at Eason, then the ball dropped nicely for Williams Danquah whose shot came back off the post. Finally, some good pressing by Whitstable created an opening for Millbank, but his shot from the edge of the box was inches too high.

It was a game that in the end neither team really deserved to lose and they will have to try again at Ware on Tuesday evening. This replay will mean that the Velocity Trophy game against Faversham at the Belmont will need to be rescheduled.

Whitstable	Data	Ware
8	Shots on target	10
4	Shots off target	3
2	Shots blocked	2
4	Corners	8
3	Fouls conceded	15
0	Offside	4
0	Penalties	0

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Jake Mackenzie, James Brown, Leo Mazzone (Harry Stannard 46), Josh Spencer, Tom Bryant (c), Tijan Jadama, Luke Girt, Aaron Millbank, Marshall Wratten (Marcus Elliott 67), John Ufuah.
Subs (unused): Liam Dickson, John Walker, Taylor Fisher.
Goals: John Ufuah 29, Tijan Jadama 75.

Ware
Calum Kitscha, Joshua Williams (Tobi Adekunle 90+2), Dan Rumens, Leigh Rose, Louis Rose (c) (Harry Norman 75), Dave Kendall, Alaa Oujdi (Williams Danquah 86), Tom Bruno, Liam Hope, Olu Akinsanya, Patrick Adamson.
Subs (unused): Gareth Madden, Harry Watkins, Ethan Gannon.
Goals: Olu Akinsanya 30, 45.
Yellow cards: Dan Rumens 37, Tom Bruno 85.

Attendance: 282
Referee: Craig Pullen
Assistants: Andrew Simmonds & Edward Smith