On a rainy Tuesday night, Maldon & Tiptree FC played Ware in the FA Trophy, having convincingly beaten Ware in a pre-season friendly.

Maldon started positively, as shots from Harvey Sayer and Dylan Logan gave some heart to the home fans. Against the run of play on 15 minutes, from a pinpoint cross, an unmarked Renee Howe buried a header in the net to put Ware 1-0 up.

That setback seemed to knock Maldon, who gave a poor performance from that point.

Later in the half, Maldon keeper Tom Middlehurst saved well from Howe, but it was no surprise when on 40 minutes Liam Dulson was put through and he netted to put Ware 2-0 up.

Before the half, Middlehurst made a top save from Howe to keep the score at 0-2.

Players held a minute's silence before the match, to honour The Queen (Photo: Scott Mitchell)

The second half followed a similar thread, with Ware doing most of the pushing forward and Maldon rarely threatening the opponents' goal.

On 52 minutes, Maldon's Lance Akins was adjudged to have handled the ball on the halfway line when on the ground and was harshly sent off for a second bookable offence.

On 54 minutes, Ware went 3-0 up when Rechan Espirit played a good one-two before coolly netting. Maldon had this time been beaten by some good football, rather than beating themselves, which they had done for the first two goals.

Maldon's few chances came and went, and it was the visitors who looked the more dangerous team.

Bar a few more Ware chances, the game rather fizzled out. Middlehurst made a fantastic save to keep the score at 3-0 but Maldon's performance left the hardy supporters wondering how a team could beat Haringey in their FA Cup one week, and then put in such a poor performance the next.

Before the match, players and fans held a minute's silence in memory of Her late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.

Maldon & Tiptree FC will next play in the FA Cup second qualifying round against Hornchurch FC on Saturday 17 September at Park Drive, Maldon.