There had been little to separate the two sides, with both teams enjoying spells of control, but Ed Thompson produced a couple of outstanding saves as Harlow saw out the win.

Harlow started brightly, looking to bounce back from a series of disappointing away performances. Debutant Jordan Castrien had the first opportunity when he capitalised on a defensive mistake from Chinua Cole, but his half-volley was collected by the Staines stopper.

With 20 minutes on the clock, Staines had the best chance of the game. A cushioned header from a corner fell to Devante McKain in the six yard box. Ed Thompson's point-blank save prevented the visitors going ahead in the moment of the first half.

Alex Read chested a long ball forward into the path of Leon Antoine, but he had to readjust his body quickly and couldn't keep the ball down.

With only minutes of the first half remaining, Staines winger Max Worsfold, who was a handful all game, then produced a good run down the left. He fashioned a shot from a tight angle, but it just grazed the post as the teams went in level at the break.

HT: Harlow Town 0-0 Staines Town

Harlow stepped up the tempo in the second half and began to create more chances. Alex Read came out on top in a battle with Devante McKain, before playing in Leon Antoine. A good sliding block from De’Reece Vanderhyde prevented the shot troubling the ‘keeper.

Layne Eadie, on the overlap, saw his low shot deflected just wide of the post, before the Hawks had a penalty appeal turned down from the resulting corner. Leon Antoine looked to have been pulled back, but the referee waved away the protests.

Harlow were turning the screw, and Bamba Ngamb was causing problems on the right wing. He turned the defence well to make space, before flashing a cross across goal, but there was no one there to turn it home.

Despite having less of the ball in the second half, the visitors were still threatening. Mohammed Bettamer streaked up the pitch on the counter-attack before squaring the ball for Kyran Wiltshire, but a perfectly timed block tackle from Alain Moges cleared the danger.

Staines centre-back Tommy Brewer cleared a shot off the line after a scramble in the penalty area, before Alex Read once again forced visiting goalkeeper Jack Tuner into another save.

Staines did get the ball in the back of the net, but despite a good finish from McKain the flag was up for offside.

As the game entered the final minutes it looked as though the deadlock wouldn't be broken, until another attack down the Harlow left. Joe Benjamin's perfectly weighted through-ball put Layne Eadie behind defence. Eadie cut back from the byline, and Ngamb turned it home for a close range finish.

The visitors weren't finished and looked to hit straight back. Max Worsford burst into the box from the left, and his powerful shot was tipped over the bar by Ed Thompson for another great save, sealing the three points for the Hawks.

FT: Harlow Town 1-0 Staines Town
ATTENDANCE: 303

Harlow move into 12th place in the league table, on 17 points from the opening 14 games.

Next up, the Hawks travel to Dulwich Hamlet on Tuesday 18th October. It will be a 7:45pm kick off.