Read treble saves Hawks' blushes

Barkingside will rue missed opportunities after controlling large portions of the game against a Harlow side who never looked comfortable. Alex Read’s three goals secured the win, but the visitors will be wondering what could have been if they had a striker of his quality.

Barkingside came flying out of the blocks with a high tempo, giving the home side no time or space on the ball. Hassan Nalbant should have put the visitors ahead after only ten minutes, but when he latched onto a corner he managed to put the ball over from just two yards out.

The striker was off-target minutes later once again, heading a corner wide when he really should have tested Niklas Freund in the Harlow goal.

The Hawks barely touched the ball in the opening 20 minutes, but in a rare sight of goal Alex Read made his own space in the area to force a save from a tight angle.

Harlow took the lead against the run of play when Layne Eadie overlapped Ryan Melaugh to play a neat one-two in the area. Eadie lifted his head to pick out a pass to Alex Read, who calmly slotted home for his 100th goal for the club since joining in 2013.

Barkingside were still threatening, although the home side began to see more of the ball as the half went on. When Junior Dadson received the ball, a clumsy tackle brought him down and the referee pointed to the spot. Alex Read despatched the penalty to put the hosts two up going into the break, despite having been second best.

HT: Harlow Town 2-0 Barkingside

Barkingside started fiercely again in the second half. George Lataaya’s long-range effort went harmlessly over, failing to trouble Freund, before Alfie Wren did make the ‘keeper work, tipping a powerful shot around the post.

While the visitors were looking for a goal to get them back into the match, it was the Hawks who scored next. A Barkingside goal-kick only reached as far as Fabion Simms on the half-way line, whose massive header set substitute Harry Prince through behind the defence. His low cross into the box was met by Alex Read who couldn’t miss and blasted home his and Harlow’s third.

Barkingside continued their good passing game in midfield, but the attack always seemed to break down before they could muster a significant effort on goal. Two substitutes combined when Oti Ikomi played in Kevin Plange-Tabil with an inch-perfect ball, but the shot was blazed over in a move that was indicative of the Barkingside performance as a whole.

With the game wearing on, Harlow went close when Fabion Simms saw his volley hit the post before Jordan Gill’s powerful 25 yard strike was tipped onto the bar from an acrobatic save.

Barkingside were not giving up, and Harry Prince was required to track back and produce a good covering tackle to deny Tuunde Adewunni a one-on-one opportunity. Their efforts were rewarded when on 84 minutes Alfie Wren sent a delightful lob over the head of Freund to pull one back for the visitors.

Despite surging forward, the visitors ran out of time and will be left to wonder what could have been if they had been able to convert their possession and midfield play into goals.

FT: Harlow Town 3-1 Barkingside
ATTENDANCE: 195

The result takes Harlow’s winning run to five games, and moves the Hawks up into third in the league table with 17 points from the opening 8 games. Alex Read’s hat-trick saw him smash the 100 goals barrier, and with better team performances to come that tally will surely continue.

It’s back to FA Cup action for the Hawks next, as we welcome Bedford Town to the Harlow Arena on Saturday 12th September. Kick-off is at 3:00pm.