Saturday afternoon marked the 146th anniversary of Harlow Town Football Club and the 19th anniversary of The Harlow Arena (Barrows Farm). The Hawks sealed victory as they held on despite late momentum from the away side to defeat a now bottom of the table Potton United.

The Hawks came into the game having won emphatically in the league in midweek against Dunstable Town, with the away side having grabbed their first point in five games in their 2-2 draw with Kempston Rovers earlier in the week.

It was a good start for Harlow, who had most of the possession and were physically the better side. Raheem Gray found a chance to shoot on his left foot from distance but hit it high and wide to the left.

It only took fifteen minutes for the Hawks to find their advantage and they did so in great style, with Jesse Ansen sliding it into Syrus Gordon, who was twenty yards out from goal when we smashed it into the bottom-left corner beyond the reach of Sam Galatis.

Eddie Connolly managed to get a shot away down the other end for Potton, but it was a tame effort that James Pellin could catch.

Harlow were quick to double their advantage after a superb bit of play from Syrus Gordon, who darted through a player in midfield and switched it out to Denzel Effah on the left. Denzel ran outside and whipped a ball into the danger zone where Stef Georgiou was lurking in the middle, who got in front of the defender and tapped it home.

At this stage in the game, Harlow looked very comfortable and as though they may go on to win in similar fashion to midweek, although this isn’t quite how things unfolded.

Eddie Connolly came closer with his next effort, dragging his shot mere inches wide from the left-hand side. James Pellin looked beaten as it almost squeezed in.

Early in the second half, Potton found their way back into the game as substitute Reece Crowther got on the end of a ball forward by Taylor Rhiney, sliding it past James Pellin at the front-post.

This completely shifted the momentum of the game, with Potton United gaining an ounce of confidence.

The blues had a couple of well struck shots travel over the bar, but James Pellin was forced into action when Taylor Rhiney hit a bottom-corner effort but the Harlow keeper did well to thwart him.

Stef Georgiou revitalised Harlow’s attacking intent as he took a shot on from the right-hand side after running goalwards. The shot took a deflection and Galatis had to get down to save it.

Once again, Eddie Connolly came close for Potton; this time it was a volleyed effort from the edge of the box which James Pellin managed to dive down and stop.

The Potton goalscorer Crowther did well with a free-kick opportunity that he struck goalwards, hitting the left post with what was a powerful curling strike.

Yet another opportunity arose for Potton through Rhiney in the box, but James Pellin denied him with a good hand after the Potton striker received it from a cross.

The late stages of the game were nervy and intense from a Harlow perspective, but the Hawks did well to keep Potton off the ball in the final moments, taking the ball to the corner on numerous occasions and eventually holding out for a 2-1 victory.