It was another great result for Harlow Town at the weekend as they travelled to Concord Rangers Football Club to face Rayleigh Town, a side that defeated the Hawks at the Pardus Wealth Stadium earlier in the season 0-1.

The score went the other way on this occasion, with Harlow emerging as 1-2 winners, having struggled in the first half, but with a much-improved second half display.

The first chance of the game was a Rayleigh one, as Jack Allen hit a free kick from distance miles wide.

Rayleigh continued to pile on the pressure in the first half, thirsty for the opener, but struggled to hit the target with various efforts.

Benny Fiadzomoe was the first player to force a save out of James Pellin, with a left-footed strike cutting in from the right. It was a fairly routine stop for the Harlow goalkeeper, who pushed it over the bar.

Soon after, Leo Clark got a shot off from distance after a corner, which was claimed by James Pellin.

Fred Agyemang struck the first shot of the game for Harlow, with a left-footed half-volley at the near post, which was claimed well by Josh Hudson.

James Folkes won a big header from a corner not long before the break, but couldn’t direct it even slightly goalwards.

Minutes later, Fred Agyemang believed he’d opened scoring for Harlow with a tidy finish after being played through by Jack Zielinski. However, the assistant’s flag was raised and Harlow were denied the goal.

The break couldn’t have come much quicker for Harlow, having gone town to ten at a point due to a James Folkes sin-bin. The players regrouped at half time and came out much stronger in the second half.

From the beginning of the half, Harlow began controlling possession, but it was Rayleigh’s Jack Allen who struck the first effort, a volley from distance that James Pellin could collect with no trouble.

Harlow did eventually break the deadlock, as Tom Jelliman whipped a free-kick towards the back post, where Jack Zielinski met it, firing it back across the box, and James Folkes was there to head it goalwards. The referee deemed it crossed the line, and Harlow grabbed the lead.

The lead lasted only 18 minutes, as Rayleigh managed to equalise with a goal from Achempong, after he dribbled past James Pellin and slotted it home.

A matter of minutes later, Harlow regained their lead through Fred Agyemang after James Folkes struck from the edge of the box in space, and his shot went in off of Agyemang’s chest.

With Rayleigh piling on the pressure late, it was a case of would Harlow hang onto the slender lead, and they did. Great defensive work prevailed from Harlow and they came away with what was a momentous three points, in anticipation of the game against Hutton in midweek.