Hawks continue unbeaten run

A goal towards the end of each half secured the three points, with Jared Small turning home a close range shot to break the deadlock.

Leon Antoine came off the bench to score for the second game in a row, powering home a header to seal the win.

The first half started slowly, with both sides understandably taking time to warm up in sub-zero temperatures, and the first sight of goal wasn’t until midway through the half.

A good passing move from Hendon allowed Karl Oliyide to cut inside, but he hit the effort wide.

The Hawks had their first real chance minutes later when Mario Noto turned and shot inside the area, but he couldn’t keep it down and it just shaved the crossbar.

Hendon played a free kick short to fashion another shot, but Joe Benjamin’s inch perfect block tackle inside the penalty area denied Niko Muir from testing David Hughes in the Harlow net.

A fast counter-attack from Hendon put Jerome Federico in a good position to shoot, but he blazed over from the edge of the area.

Joe Benjamin was energetic on the left wing and created space for himself when he broke through the defence. Under pressure from the retreating defender, he managed to get a shot away but it was saved well by the legs of Hendon goalkeeper Andrew McCorkell.

After an even first period, the sides looked to be heading into the interval level until Harlow scored in the final minute of the half.

A corner was cleared to Syrus Gordon on the edge of the area, and his shot at goal was diverted past the goalkeeper by Jared Small from close range to put the Hawks ahead.

Small could have doubled the lead in added time, but hi shot from a tight angle hit the post and rebounded out.

HT: Harlow Town 1-0 Hendon

The Hawks started brightly in the second half and created several chances in the opening minutes.

Fabion Simms collected the ball inside the opposition penalty area, but he dwelled on the ball a little too long as he couldn’t get it out from his feet, eventually being dispossessed by a well-timed tackle to clear the danger.

Mario Noto went close from the corner of the area, but it just went wide of the upright, before Joe Benjamin’s cheeky effort with the outside of his foot also went wide of the mark.

A header from Fabion Simms was tipped just over the bar by McCorkell, as the Hawks couldn’t convert their chances to double the lead.

Hendon had a great opportunity to draw level with a quarter of the game left to play. They quickly passed the ball across the pitch, reaching Karl Oliyide wide open in the Harlow area. The striker skied the ball well over the bar to squander the visitors’ best chance of the game so far.

At the other end, Layne Eadie curled a left-footed free kick up and over the wall, but a spectacular diving save from McCorkell tipped the ball away from the top corner and around the post.

With five minutes remaining, the Hawks won a corner which was delivered towards the penalty spot by Mario Noto. Leon Antoine got a run on the defence and powered a header into the net.

Substitute Bamba Ngamb could have made it three when he beat the offside trap in added time, but under pressure from defender Jamie Smith he put it just over.

By then the result wasn’t in doubt, and Harlow secured their seventh win in nine games.

FT: Harlow Town 1-0 Hendon
ATTENDANCE: 206

The result moves Harlow into 11th in the league table, with 27 points from 19 games.

Next up, the Hawks travel to last season’s Ryman Division One North winners AFC Sudbury on Saturday 3rd December. It’s a 3pm kick off.