These two teams had met just four days earlier when a rampant Regent team put five past a Ware side that would be looking to make amends and not let Brightlingsea have things all their own way. Some poor Ware defending and some clinical Brightlingsea finishing had been on show last Tuesday evening but it was to be into the second half today before the visitors eventually stamped any authority on what proved to be a scrappy affair.

The home side were certainly a much tougher proposition defensively chasing down every ball and making Brightlingsea work hard all over the pitch. The Ware defence was sitting very deep and every effort to get in behind by the Regent front line was frustrated by some solid performances particularly Reece Simpson who was marshalling Wares back line well. Time and again Tom Richardson and Phil Kelly looked to expose any space behind the back line but the ball never seemed to quite run for them. It was Kelly who had a shout for a penalty when after breaking into the Ware box he looked to have his leg caught from behind. The referee saw nothing wrong and once again the R’s were left frustrated.

Ware were offering far more today and could have had a goal themselves as early as the fourth minute when Regent stopper Sam Cowler tipped over a fantastic corner and then on thirty minutes Gareth Price forced a rare error from Regent skipper Matt Cripps, dispossessing him before getting a shot off only to see Cowler save with his feet.

Things were not quite firing for James Webster's men but they have demonstrated what a tight group they are and how well they can come together to get something out of a game. The second half proved another example of this resilience with the visitors starting brightly, beginning to find a little of their passing game and on forty nine minutes Connor Hogan latched onto a chipped pass and fired his shot towards goal only to see the Ware keeper make a save. The ball fell to Jake Turner who was following up and he made no mistake.1-0 Regent.

This goal seemed to knock the stuffing out of Ware who had worked so hard to keep the visitors at bay. Brightlingsea began to play with more confidence and on seventy five minutes Phil Kelly made it two to the R’s when he took advantage of a slip by Ware captain Marcus Rose. The Regent player ran in on goal before finishing smartly past Bechet. That strike was Phil Kelly's one hundredth goal for the R’s and as he and his team mates ran to celebrate with the visiting fans the afternoon was to get even better for all those in red and black. News was coming in that Maldon and Tiptree were losing at Bury Town meaning that Brightlingsea would be sitting top of the league on Saturday night. As the red and black army kept singing Ricky Griggs who had come on as a substitute found himself alone in the Ware box latching on to poor back pass by Alaa Oujdi to finish well and make it three.

On reflection this was not a classic, but it was game that made a little bit of history lifting the side from North Road to the top of the Ryman North. James Webster and his staff will surely enjoy the moment but will emphasise that it is just a moment and the real work is still to be done as we approach the business end of the season.

Gavin Aplin