Hawks and Wands share points

The visitors went ahead on just three minutes, when Uche Ibemere headed home a corner, but Harlow drew level shortly after through Leon Antoine.

In an end-to-end game, both sides were creating chances freely, and if not for the two goalkeepers and some wayward finishing the game could have easily finished five goals apiece.

The game couldn’t have got off to a worse start for the Hawks, when a corner found its way to the back post, where unmarked Ibemere headed in from close range. With 17 points separating Harlow from the league-leaders, the hosts had given themselves a mountain to climb early on.

Harlow almost hit straight back when Layne Eadie’s shot was well saved, before the visitors almost doubled their lead with Onome Sodje volleying over from five yards out.

The Hawks were level on 17 minutes. Ryan Melaugh’s corner found Ibrahima Sonko at the back post who headed back across goal. Leon Antoine rose highest to send a looping header back over the ‘keeper and just under the bar.

Harlow were content to allow Cray to play out from the back, and it almost paid dividends when centre-back Joe Vines lost the ball and the Hawks countered. Alex Read was in behind the defence, but visiting ‘keeper Nick Blue saved well to keep the scores level.

Ibemere and Aryan Tajbakhsh both went close for the Wands but put their efforts wide, while Nathan Fox received the ball from a corner at the back post and somehow sent his shot off-target.

Alex Read was inches away from putting Harlow ahead when his audacious back-heel grazed the post. The striker then looked as though he was fouled on the edge of the box, but the referee waved play-on. Ibemere streaked down the pitch on the counter-attack, but ultimately the shot was blocked by Sam West and the team went into the break with the scored level.

HT: Harlow Town 1-1 Cray Wanderers

The second half was much of the same, with both sides pushing for a winner and creating plenty of chances. Sodje tested Harlow stopper Niklas Freund with a powerful shot from the edge of the area, but he saved and held it to deny the striker.

It was then Harlow’s turn to pile on the pressure with Nick Blue called on to perform a series of top-class saves within minutes of each other. Shane Stamp set up Ryan Melaugh for a shot, but the Blue dived low to his right to tip around the post.

Junior Dadson was then denied by the ‘keeper, and from the resulting corner Alex Read was frustrated when a close range double-save somehow kept the ball out of the net. Read then played a neat one-two with Ryan Melaugh, but once again Blue was equal to the effort with a spectacular diving save.

Into the final ten minutes, and both sides were looking for a winner. Alex Read had the ball in the back of the net when Jared Small sent a tempting cross into the area. The striker struck home, only to see the assistant referee raise his flag for the narrowest of offside decisions.

At the other end, Ibemere went close once again, but Niklas Freund saved well, before Mike Frieter sent his good opportunity blazing over the bar. In the last minute of injury time Frieter picked up on a loose ball on the edge of the area, but the thunderbolt of a shot went wide, consigning both sides to a share of the points.

FT: Harlow Town 1-1 Cray Wanderers
ATTENDANCE: 261

The point moves Harlow onto 25 points from the opening 13 games. Despite being in 12th place, they still have plenty of games in hand over all other teams in the division.

The Hawks now travel to Cheshunt on Tuesday 10th November for another league match. Kick off is at 7:45pm.