Hawks gain point in promotion battle

against Thurrock on Saturday.

The visitors led 1-0 at half-time in this crucial Ryman League division one north match, but a rocket from boss Danny Chapman at the break did the trick as Harlow came out flying after the re-start and had chances to take the victory.

As it was player-coach Danny Brown’s fourth goal this term secured a precious point for Harlow, but how boss Chapman would have liked to have turned that into three.

The Hawks were without influential midfielder James Smith, out for three weeks with a hamstring injury which he would have missed anyway with a three-game ban for a recent red card.

Right-back Robbie Martin was also out, side-lined with a quad injury.

These were the only two changes from the side that lost 2-1 at home to Soham Town Rangers last Saturday, when Harlow’s superb long unbeaten run was ended.

The visitors had the better of the first half, but created few chances as they failed to make their possession count.

Harlow went close on 20 minutes when a left-wing cross into the box was met by Leon Antoine, but as the striker challenged the Thurrock keeper he was deemed to have committed a foul.

Near the half-hour mark Thurrock had a great chance when Robert Clark found David Knight on the edge of the box. However, his low strike was superbly tipped away by Hawks keeper Darren Bechet.

But Thurrock took the lead on 32 minutes when Clark struck a wonderful effort from the edge of the right side of the box which was just too powerful for Behcet and deflected off a Hawks defender as it flew into the top left corner.

It was a lacklustre first half from the Hawks, surprising considering they were playing against a team tipped by many to win this division.

Thurrock went close again on the stroke of half-time when skipper and former Bishop’s Stortford midfielder Lewwis Spence went close with a fizzing drive which flew past the right upright.

The second half burst into life after just 40 seconds when Ricardo Santos was caught pulling the shirt of Shane Stamp by the sharp-eyed referee.

Brown smashed home the spot-kick.

That was only Brown’s fourth goal of a poor campaign by his usually excellent goal scoring standards - although admittedly Harlow have not had too many penalties this term.

Stung, Thurrock hit back and on 50 minutes Knight stormed forward and into the box but was denied by an excellent defending from Joshua McLeod-Urquhart. He still managed to get off a shot but this was well blocked by Behcet and scrambled away by the hosts.

Moments later, Charlie Stimson’s effort from just outside the box looped just over the bar.

Harlow should have gone ahead on 52 minutes after some brilliant play from the impressive Stamp, who put Stan Muguo through with an inch-perfect pass. Muguo had just the keeper to beat but slipped the ball the wrong side of the left post.

Muguo went close again just moments later when clean through but his shot was well saved by Thurrock keeper Andy Walker.

Harlow were well on top in the second half and went desperately close once again when Brown’s delightful pass to the left flank went straight to the dangerous Stamp who cut inside and unleashed a shot from just outside the box which zipped inches wide of the right post.

Harlow had another great chance from a Muguo corner which Brown met and sent a looping header up and it was nodded onto the bar and cleared by a Thurrock defender. However, the ref spotted an infringement and gave a free-kick to the visitors.

Thurrock still looked dangerous on the counter and on 70 minutes Stimson put Knight through but he curled his effort away from the left post.

Muguo picked up a yellow card for a foul on 76 minutes.

On 77 minutes there was more controversy when Santos - the culprit for the first penalty - pulled down Alex Read in the box, but the referee waved away Harlow’s vociferous appeals for a spot-kick.

Harlow went close again when a storming run from Jonathan Glowacki ended with a powerful strike which was well blocked by Walker. The ball came back out but some superb defending saw Simon King deny Antoine the chance of slotting the ball into the empty net.

Just minutes from the end there was a 20-man fracas following a foul by Brown but the Harlow player-coach escaped with a caution.

Stimson was also booked for retaliating to Brown’s late challenge.

After a three-minute delay the free-kick was taken by Thurrock left-back Remi Sutton and pumped into the box where Harlow’s Layne Eadie appeared to handle but this was not spotted by the ref.

Thurrock pushed on in search of the three points and Hawks skipper Darren Blewitt was booked for a cynical challenge on Stimson when he was clean through in stoppage time.

But Harlow held on and in fairness a draw was probably the right result.

Thanks goes to The Harlow Star for the match report