There are people who say that they don't like sport. You can point out to them that such a simplistic generalisation is as unsupportable as someone saying they don't like music or they don't like watching plays be they on the stage, cinema or television. But this logic tends to fall on stony ground with such killjoys.

Maybe they should have been at Harlow with its floodlights illuminating the cockpit that was the McCulloch's Arena for this pulsating drama of fluctuating fortunes whose dénouement was to see Ware back at the top of the table, at least for a day.

Mind you anyone new to football would have needed to understand the back story and the principal characters to fully appreciate the action. Given the result it would also have helped to be a Ware supporter though no one could deny Harlow's contribution to an exciting evening.

A resurgent home side were back to winning ways after Saturday's victory at Hertford and new manager Mark Holloway would have been hopeful of at least a point if not three. His team played as though they thought so too.

For Ware, Albert Adu had looked like his old self on the previous Saturday but had drifted out of the game in the second half. This time he lasted the full ninety minutes for his best performance since returning to the club, scoring two of his side's goals for good measure.

The other two-goal hero was André McCollin who benefitted from his first start in five games. A favourite at Kingstonian and Aldershot in earlier times he at last had the chance to demonstrate to Ware fans the ability that has been untapped so far in his nine previous appearances. For that and his goals he just pips Adu as man of the match.

Even Mr Stratton the referee briefly stole the second half limelight, taking a tumble and having to blow his whistle to stop the game whilst still on his back. It seems to have been a game that had everything.

It started at full throttle with Harlow carrying the game to Ware and causing a defensive mix up after three minutes that Christian Adu-Gyamfi might have done better with than a shot that went across the face of Calum Kitscha's goal.

He made amends a minute later when a long ball forward from the Harlow defence fell into the no man's land between a retreating defence and an advancing Kitscha. Also between them was Adu-Gyamfi momentarily alone and looking like the first soldier to bring a football to the Christmas truce. He had enough time to lob it over the keeper and into the net as Ware defenders vainly chased it down.

Ware were knocked out of their stride and with a bit more luck and composure Harlow might have doubled their lead as quick balls forward and determined running threatened to overwhelm the visitors.

But it wasn't all one way traffic and on fifteen minutes it was McCollin who made his own determined run on Ware's left only to be brought down clumsily wide of the penalty area. Tom Bruno's free kick was floated into the penalty box and Adu's glancing header was enough to give Ware their equaliser to cheers from the sizeable contingent of their supporters around the ground.

As both sides continued to search for another goal Freddy Moncur shot wide for Harlow and Josh Bexon blocked a close range shot from Pat Adamson but it was Ware who finally made a break through just past the half hour.

In a demonstration of the end to end nature of the game a Harlow corner was cleared to Liam Hope who played it into the path of McCollin. The number ten carried it forward and, just when it seemed likely to be laid across to Hope in front of goal, unleashed a shot that flew past Bexon to hit the back of the net.

It looked as though Ware might take a firm grip on the game early in the second half. They pinned the home side in their own half in the opening five minutes and forced two corners the first of which saw Hope fire a shot that seemed to be going in until Bexon turned it over the bar with a good save.

But it was Harlow who scored next, breaking free of Ware's hold with their first attack of the half on 51 minutes. Twice Ware defenders got their tackles in but twice the ball broke to a Harlow player until a final pass across the pitch found Moncur on the left and his shot gave Kitscha little chance.

The home side were now back in the ascendant and six minutes later a cross from their left into a crowded penalty area saw Adu-Gyamfi turn it into the net for Harlow to regain the lead.

There was still plenty of time left but no guarantee that Harlow wouldn't use it to increase their lead in what continued to be an even contest. As it was there were little more than fifteen minutes left when Ware equalised. The ball was won by McCollin in midfield and played out to Adu wide on the left of the penalty area who expertly curled his shot wide to Bexon's left.

It was all to play for after that and Ware upped their game. Just four minutes later it seemed that a period of pin ball in the Harlow six yard box might come to nothing as the home defence blocked everything Ware could throw at them until the ball came loose to McCollin who drove it into the net.

It had been a good performance from Ware who were still without the injured Leigh Rose even before brother Louis cried off with illness shortly before the start with Dave Kendall taking over as captain.

Ware: Calum Kitscha, Macsen Fraser, Pat Adamson, Harry Watkins (Ben Crilley 62mins), Dave Kendall, Dan Rumens, Joshua Williams, Tom Bruno, Liam Hope, Andre McCollin (Gareth Madden 82mins), Albert Adu. Unused subs: Harry Norman, Williams Danquah, Kardan Campbell.