You can probably add Biggleswade to the list of those who think that the football season can be just that bit too long. Over the two seasons since their arrival at Step 4 their young side has played some excellent football but in this game they were not the team Ware had faced in the regular season. Recently their results, at least in home games, have shown them to be stuttering and in this game, at home again, they appeared to have reached their limit of endurance.

Ware have suffered their own down turn this season, struggling to string decent results together and failing to win at home in six consecutive matches either side of Christmas. What is it about home form? Still, they have come through that and are back to winning ways.

They certainly looked it for most of this game. Biggleswade have always looked a young, fit side suggesting that Ware need to be wary of being outrun by them. In this game however it was Ware doing the running. They dominated much of the play by applying themselves 100% to the task of closing down their opponents to prevent them from developing their normal game.

Only in the ten or more minutes before half time did we see anything of what Biggleswade are capable of. Then their ability to string short passes together with an uncanny knack of finding their men without even looking opened up the Ware defence more than once.

It was in this period that the home side scored their goal; a corner swung over from their left glanced off a Ware head to miss most of the those in the six yard area and find Dan Newton running in to head the ball into the net.

For much of the rest of the game it was Ware who were in charge. Rising to the occasion they harried and hustled their opponents and were ahead after only two minutes. Declan Nche’s cross deep into the six yard box being deflected into the net by a defender.

It might have been two-nil shortly after when Liam Dulson’s cross was met by Leigh Rose who could only head over the bar with the goal at his mercy. His brother Louis then also headed over but from a corner following Joel Jacobs' free kick that was clawed round the post by Dan Green before, close to twenty minutes in, Theo Ofori’s cross was cleared off the line.

Late in the half, Ware lost their captain when Louis Rose had to leave the pitch with a damaged ham string but, with his team in the right frame of mind, this did not seem to adversely affect Ware. His replacement, Dan Rumens, went on to score a crucial goal in the second half that gave Ware breathing space in what at that time was still a close encounter.

By then Ware were already back in the lead, Richard Bryan’s cross having picked out Brandon Adams to score from in front of goal just minutes before half time. Maybe it was hard on Biggleswade who had looked to be pulling themselves back into the game but overall Ware were deserving of their lead at the break.

Ware continued their 100% effort in the second half but in a struggle that kept the crowd thoroughly engaged they had to wait until the 69th minute to increase their lead. A corner fell to Rumens whose downward header bounced in the six yard area and up into the roof of the net.

Twice before in matches this season Ware have held a two-goal lead over Biggleswade but had to settle for a draw. Not this time however and they continued to push for another goal. In one remarkable flurry of action on 80 minutes Dulson hit the bar from close range, the rebound dropping to Adams who turned to shoot, only to see the ball cannon off the bar again.

However, within five minutes a free kick for the home side was cleared to Nche whose long, accurate pass reached the lurking Ofori. It caught Biggleswade off guard with Dan Newton having to throw aside a drinks bottle to chase the Ware man down. He couldn’t do it and Ofori slid the ball past the advancing Green for 4-1.

At the end of a very entertaining game well managed by the officials, both teams received the applause of their respective fans before the painful irony for Biggleswade of a trophy and medals presentation as runners-up in the league. In pre-play-off days they would have been deservedly promoted to Step 3. Instead Ware advance to a play-off final at Didcot on Monday.

Ware: Fred Burbidge, Richard Bryan, Joel Jacobs, Leigh Rose (Chris Arthur 81mins), Louis Rose (Dan Rumens 39mins), Matt Hall, Theo Ofori (Joe Dearman 88mins), Declan Nche, Brandon Adams, Freddy Moncur, Liam Dulson. Unused subs: Sam Chaney, Marcus Milner.