As it turned out this game was decided in the first seven minutes as Ware took a two goal lead but it was not until referee Burns blew the final whistle that the outcome was confirmed. It had been a close match but Heath had failed to properly recover from going behind despite a spirited come back in the second half.

For Ware it was a first win since December’s 4-0 demolition of Stotfold whilst the Heathens are now winless in four games with just a single point in that time. They do, however, remain in the play-offs and will take heart from a decent second half performance which had Ware hanging on at times.

All of that was a long way off when Ware opened the scoring in the second minute. Johnny Allotey held the ball up well despite the attention of three opposition players and threaded it through to meet Chukuma Okotcha’s overlapping run.

His cross was turned back by Jon Clements to Joe Dearman on the edge of the area. Dearman, now playing an attacking role after David Sota had returned at full back for his fiftieth appearance, shot home confidently.

It was two-nil five minutes later after Max Granville, who had another good game, robbed Flackwell of the ball to play it forward to Sam Mayuma who flicked it on to Clements. Carl Dennison deflected his shot away from goal but Allotey was the quickest to react and give the recovering keeper no chance.

This was all a little bit heady for home fans who hadn’t seen their team score more than one league goal in a game since that win over Stotfold. They might have had more to celebrate in a first half that saw Ware have much more of the game than their opponents.

It might have been worse for the Heathens but they read the game well. Throughout the match their defenders were anticipating Ware’s forward passes and cutting them off before moves could develop into a threat. And they had their moments in the first half, not least when Fred Burbidge was forced to block with his feet at the expense of a corner.

Seven minutes into the second half Heath had their goal. Lewis Patrick’s well struck free kick from out side the area went beyond the four man wall and just inside the far post with Burbidge perhaps distracted by Jay Rolfe’s covering run as Edward Lee looked about to intercept the free kick.

The goal gave Flackwell hope and a second would give them the initiative but Ware kept them at bay starting three minutes later when Burbidge’s quick reaction save denied Jack Shakespeare’s shot from a narrow angle.

As time ran out a poor clearance by the Heathens hit Allotey and rebounded to Clements but Dennison was out quickly to block the Ware man’s shot. By now both sides were looking tired and Ware had started to take the ball to a corner flag whenever the opportunity arose to frustrate the visitors.

It had been quite a physical contest in which seven yellow cards were issued but it had not been a bad tempered game. Clements picked up the last in the 95th minute for what appeared to be kicking the ball away at a throw on as Ware sought to deny Flackwell time and a quick restart.

Three points at last and against a top side but can Ware shrug off their inconsistent results when they visit bottom side North Leigh next Saturday?

Ware: Fred Burbidge, Chukuma Okotcha (Exauce Kifwasima 77mins), David Sota, Max Granville, Jay Rolfe, Mackye Townsend-West, Johnny Allotey, Gucci Soulya-Osekanongo, Jon Clements, Sam Mayuma, Joe Dearman. Unused subs: George Ironton, Tom Kay, Ike Okwusogu, Lewis Thomas.