Hawks see off Heybridge

Heybridge took the lead in a swirling wind, before being pegged back just before half-time thanks to a fortuitous goal. Ryan Melaugh put Harlow ahead before Joe Benjamin sealed the win with a strike from the edge of the area.

Storm Barney was descending in full force, preventing play from flowing freely, and the opening period was punctuated with dead-balls and throw-ins as the two sides tried to acclimate to the conditions.

Junior Dadson had great opportunities to put the Hawks ahead when Alex Read and Shane Stamp played him in, but he dragged his shot wide before a miss-hit in front of goal let off the visitors.

Heybridge then took a surprise lead when Chris Bryan stole the ball in midfield before releasing captain Luis Morrison beyond the Harlow defence. The pacy striker streaked away from the Hawks players to finish coolly past Niklas Freund.

Both sides struggled to create significant chances, although Shane Stamp went close for the Hawks when his shot was deflected for a corner. George Doyle then went close for Heybridge, but his 20 yard effort went wide of the post.

Harlow equalised on the stroke of half-time. Layne Eadie’s cross in from the left caught in the wind and looped towards goal. Retreating ‘keeper Danny Sambridge could only parry it as it looked to cross the goal-line, and Jared Small bundled the ball over and into the net.

HT: Harlow Town 1-1 Heybridge Swifts

Conditions deteriorated in the second half with the swirling wind playing even more of a part. Former Harlow defender Liam Thomas misjudged a cross in and almost put the ball in his own net, before Shane Stamp and Ryan Melaugh both went close from a tight angle.

Harlow were applying pressure and it looked as though it would be a matter of time until the second goal came. On 73 minutes, a free kick was awarded to Harlow 30 yards out, and Alex Read stepped up to shoot for goal. The effort, with the wind behind it, beat the visiting ‘keeper and cannoned off the bar and onto the goal-line before being cleared away.

Two minutes later the pressure paid off. Jared Small dispossessed left-back Jack Humphrey on the right flank, and his cross was cleared only as far as Ryan Melaugh. The winger burst into the box and rifled home a left-footed shot to put the Hawks ahead.

Heybridge goal-scorer Luis Morrison had a great chance to hit back minutes later, when he once again broke free of the Harlow defence. This time he failed to test Freund, blazing over the bar.

The points were sealed five minutes from time. Substitute Joe Benjamin received the ball from a quick throw in, and with his first touch of the game turned, broke towards the edge of the area and unleashed a shot that dipped towards goal. Heybridge custodian Sambridge did get a hand to the ball but couldn’t prevent it from going over his head and into the net.

FT: Harlow Town 3-1 Heybridge Swifts
ATTENDANCE: 155

The Hawks secured their first three points in the league since 17th October, and the win lifts them three places to 12th. With many league games still in hand, they know that a winning run will soon see them climb the table.

Harlow now travel to Tilbury for the next league game on Saturday 21st November. Kick off is at 3pm.