Read hat-trick as Harlow move 6 points clear

Alex Read capped off his hat-trick in the 89th minute with a stunning finish to win the game, after the Hawks had allowed an early lead to slip. The 4th minute penalty was pegged back against the run of play by two goals in three minutes from Burnham.

Read had earlier equalised in the second half, before setting up Junior Dadson to score with the last kick of the game.

The game couldn’t have started any better for Harlow, when Fabion Simms was brought down in the opposition in the fourth minute and the referee pointed to the spot. Alex Read stepped up to slot it home to mark his 26th league goal of the campaign.

At the start of play the teams were separated by 54 points in the league table, and this started to show as the Hawks pressed with attack after attack, with Shane Stamp and Layne Eadie causing problems for the Ramblers’ defence on the left wing. Several crosses flashed across the goal but were agonisingly out of reach of the smallest touch that would divert them home.

Stamp and Leon Antoine headed just wide and over respectively, before Junior Appiah’s deft chip over the visiting ‘keeper was headed off the line, and it seemed as though it was just a matter of time until the home side scored another.

The next goals came against the run of play however, and in quick succession. The first time that the Harlow defence was troubled was on 37 minutes, and not for the first time this season it came from a set piece.

A corner was curled under the bar and Bradley Walsh, who had been doing a great job to keep out goals at the other end, jumped to head it home past Ed Thompson in the Harlow goal.

Not three minutes later, Burnham’s Ryan Imbert charged down a Harlow backpass, and Thompson’s clearance ricocheted against the striker before falling nicely for him to side-foot it into the open net.

HT: Harlow Town 1-2 Burnham Ramblers

Burnham Ramblers, without a league win in nine league matches, were seeing a lot more of the ball in the second half and didn’t look like a team adrift at the bottom of the table. Both teams were creating chances in a more evenly matched period of the game.

On 66 minutes Junior Dadson won the ball to put a cross in from the right hand side. Alex Read lost his defender to head it up and over Matt Belcher who was off his line in the Burnham goal. Just minutes later it seemed as though Read had scored again, but it was ruled out for offside.

With the clock ticking down, Fabion Simms and Leon Antoine both had chances to take the lead in the final 15 minutes, but they failed to get their efforts on target.

Then, in the 86th minutes, Burnham Ramblers were reduced to ten men. Ricky Evans kicked the ball after the whistle had gone, and the referee had no choice but to show him a second yellow card.

The 90 minutes were almost over and up-stepped last season’s record breaking goal-scorer to seal the win. A fantastic solo effort, he broke into the Burnham area and smashed his shot goal-wards. It flew past the goalkeeper and off the crossbar into the net to the delight of Harlow fans and players alike.

Deep into injury time, hat-trick hero Read turned provider as he squared the ball for Junior Dadson to hit home into an empty net with the last kick of the game.

FT: Harlow Town 4-2 Burnham Ramblers
ATTENDANCE: 229

Due to Needham Market’s game being postponed for the second week in a row, Harlow went six points clear at the top of the table, although Needham have three games in hand. Harlow Town, having been in that position earlier in the season, know better than most that it’s not always an easy task to convert them into points.

The next game for Harlow is away to Soham Town Rangers on Saturday 17th January. It will be a 3pm kick off.