DESPITE the end result, manager Adam Flint was pleased with how his Witham Town players adapted to changes on their Ryman League division north trip to Ware.

And the Town boss is hoping that their performance highlights how his team can deal with alterations if injuries and suspensions disrupt them as they bid for a place in the play-offs next season.

Witham had leading scorer Tim Monsheju suspended for the trip to Ware, while Damien Green, Scott Kemp and Ryan Imbert failed late fitness tests so Flint and assistant boss James Robinson decided to try something different.

The game ended in a 2-1 defeat for Witham, who had Ryan Charles on target, but the manager was pleased with how his players reacted to the change.

Flint said: “It was a competitive game against a team who are fighting so it was a good chance to test ourselves with something different.

“I don’t think Ware deserve to be down where they are and we knew they would fight, so we thought it was a good opportunity to try something different.

“We could have played to our normal pattern, but we had lost the players with injuries and suspension and what would we have learned from doing that?

“We have had to change things during the season at times so we do have to try different things and while I wasn’t happy to lose, I was happy with how we did.

“It was positive for us and another opportunity to test things out looking ahead to next year.”

The defeat at Ware ended a five-game unbeaten run for Flint’s side and they will be hoping to return to winning form when they have the first of back-to-back Friday night games tonight.

Witham head to promotion-chasing Thurrock tonight, with a home game seven days later - on Good Friday - against a Brightlingsea Regent side who are favourites to take the division north title and Flint is pleased to have meaningful games towards the end of the campaign.

“I think we are having an impact at both ends of the table in the closing weeks of the season,” he said.

“We’ve played a number of sides towards the bottom and now have Thurrock on Friday and then Brightlingsea at home on Good Friday.

“Thurrock pegged us back when we faced them at home after we’d been leading two-nil so we feel we owe them one and Brightlingsea could come to us the week after having to win to take the title.

“It certainly makes sure the season isn’t petering out for us and I want to make sure that isn’t the case.

“That was another reason behind us making the changes last weekend at Ware and I felt it lifted us.

“You could see that in Ryan Charles’ goal, which was brilliant, but he had to go off after being caught on the ankle.

“I’m hoping that he’ll be OK for the trip to Thurrock, though.”

Flint said he was also hopeful that Green (hip), Imbert (foot) and Kemp (knee) would all be ready for the game at Thurrock and Monsheju will return from his suspension.