After an even first half in which both sides applied periods of pressure and created chances from which they each scored once, Ware should really have sewn this game up in the second half. Instead, they needed extra time and penalties to finally come out on top of a competition that started with 48 teams from four counties.

A wind blowing the length of the pitch was behind Cockfosters in the opening 45 minutes and they made good use of it, at times looking sharper than their opponents. Ware on the other hand were trying to build openings patiently but were susceptible to quick breaks that cut through an exposed defence.

Cockfosters had already mounted one break that was cleared before, in the 14th minute, Quelle Weekes, perhaps their best player on the night, was free on their right. Despite pressure from Archie Locke, he got his shot away and though keeper Tommy Smith got a foot to it he could only divert the ball across an open six yard area. Cathal Fee was there and he had the easiest of tasks to give his team the lead.

Ware looked rattled for a while after that but pulled themselves back into the game and forced a couple of corners. They have a number of routines for these set piece moments and the second of the corners on 40 minutes involved a shorter than expected ball to the corner of the penalty area. Stefanos Georgiou was ready and left his decoy position in the ‘D’ to collect the ball. He took a neat turn past two defenders and drilled the equaliser home low from an angle.

With the wind at their backs Ware had the majority of possession and territory in the second half making this the period in which they could have settled the outcome convincingly. A bit more sharpness in front of goal would have helped but somehow there always seemed the need for an extra touch or else shots were hit high or wide. Perhaps the wind was making control difficult but chances were squandered.

In the circumstances Cockfosters were always in with a chance and as the ninety minutes came to a close they came back into contention.

The game moved into extra time with little change in its general direction. The Cockfosters players started to go down regularly with cramp suggesting that Ware had the edge in fitness. Yet still they couldn’t exploit it and with five minutes of extra time left they were reduced to ten men.

Keyarn Cope-Chase was adjudged to have committed a high tackle, harshly in the view of many round the ground. It was one of several decisions that had the crowd confused. Eleven cards were issued through the 120 minutes in a game that had never been over heated until at the very end when Cockfosters substitute Lavel Thomas had an altercation with an assistant referee and he too was shown a red card.

And so to penalties with Jacob Waring, Mark Tiller, Georgiou and Alex Greaves converting theirs to give Ware a 4-3 victory.

The Under-16s face a similar play-off final for their age group against Wroxham on Sunday at Haverhill. There is hope of a league double for the club.

Ware: Tommy Smith, Archie Locke, Gerson Artur, Ikenna Nwosu, Jacob Waring, Joe Gallego, Keyarn Cope-Chase, Mark Tiller, Mayvin Vigneswaran, Stefanos Georgiou, Alex Greaves. Rolling subs: Nico Noto, Mehmet Eminham, Harrison Holding.

Cockfosters: Neo Donoghue, Freddie Stallworthy, Charlie Savage, Andy Polycarpou, Stefano Ciotis, Archie Jolly, Jibril Shamarke, Harry Forde, Quelle Weekes, Lavel Thomas, Cathal Fee. Rolling subs: Cem Gilirli, Kevin Rusta, Caspar Fusco, Michael Mina, George Constanti.