Wakering stay fifth in the Ryman League Second Division - despite being beaten 2-1 in an excellent game at Edgware.

The exciting encounter, full of good football, saw players of both sides complimented by the referee at the end.

The village side could well have earned a share of the spoils, but lost when ex-Nottingham Forest YTS boy Liam Cullendar, who had come on as a substitute, scored after 87 minutes.

Rovers were without established first teamers Tommy Dalgarno, Danny Scopes and Jimmy Ablitt, but with Luke Purcell and Andy Walton stepping in, outstandingly forced home keeper Fari Jackson into early action in saving from Paul Flack.

Ex-Tooting striker Tony Reid went close for Edgware while at the other end, Adam French nearly got on the end of an Ollie Evans cross.

However, it was that man Evans who ended the stalemate after 39 minutes when he cut in from the edge of the box and scored after good work by Purcell and Darren Twidell.

Purcell tried an excellent "David Beckham" style chip which went just wide of the target soon after the restart, but Reid headed Edgware level after 65 minutes.

Action continued to flow from end to end, but it was the home side who captured all three points with that late effort.

In a busy week, Wakering host Second Division leaders Barking in an Associate Members Cup tie tomorrow night.

Back in the League, on Saturday they host promotion-chasing second-placed Hemel Hempstead before travelling to Essex rivals Wivenhoe for a Boxing Day derby (12 noon).

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.