Hawks learn tough lesson

An excellent performance by The Fleet saw them beat The Hawks 5-1 at Ship Lane.

Thurrock put on a tremendous display to win comfortably against a Harlow side who had started the season in very good from.

But it was The Fleet who took the initiative early on when Joel Nouble headed home Anton Blackwoods cross in the 9th minute. Just 5 minutes later Thurrock extended their lead when Brad Warner started and finished a move which involved Lewis Perkins and a ball across from Nouble to make it 2-0.

Thurrock controlled the first half and should have made it 3 in the 26th minute when Perkins ran with the ball straight at the Hawks defence, they allowed him to feed Spence who was put clean through but his powerful shot came back off the post.
The Hawks then saw a Jordan Fowler shot take a deflection and loop over a stranded goalkeeper only to come back off of the bar. Harlow then made some good runs down the wings but the final delivery was poor and never troubled the Thurrock goalkeeper.

It was Perkins who made it 3-0 with a magnificent strike on 32 minutes, after beating a Hawks defender and shooting from distance into the roof of the net.

The Fleet continued their first half dominance and should have been 4-0 up at half time when they were awarded a penalty in the 42nd minute after a Hawks defender handled a Nouble shot. Ben Smith hit the resulting spot kick low but Daniel Knowles parried to keep Thurrock from extending their lead.

Alex read then gave the Hawks a lifeline when he converted a penalty right on the stroke of half time after Leon Antoine was adjudged to of been fouled and he made the score 3-1 at the break.

Harlow came out with more drive at the start of the second half however it was The Fleet who went further ahead when Lewis Perkins produced a superb lob over the Harlow defence for Lewwis Spence to pick up in the box and slot past Knowles to make it 4-1.

Things got worse for the Hawks as Danny Chapman had to replace the injured Knowles with James May. On the stroke of full time the 2 Thurrock substitutes Jordan Clark and Callum Ibe combined to make it 5-1. Clark making a run down the left flank and fed Ibe to put the 5th home for Thurrock with practically the last kick of the game.

Thanks to the Thurrock Website for help with this report.