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HARLOW TOWN 1,

SUTTON UNITED 1

Ryman Football League, premier division, 16/08/08

Match Report by BILLY SHAW

Photography by TONY FOWLES & DENISE JEFFERY

 

HARLOW will have been pleased with the opening day point they won from Blue Square South descendants Sutton United.

Jamie Richards bagged his second goal in eight days to give Saturday’s visitors an early shock, and could have added a second had his thunderous penalty not rattled the foundations of the woodwork.

New signings Clydie Roberts and Daniel Francis were left on the bench, as was defender Paul Kear, who impressed at centre back in the previous week’s friendly win at Brentwood Town.

Paul Doswell’s U’s flew out of the traps, with daunting Craig Dundas storming down the left before forcing keeper James Hasell to turn his low shot just around the near post with barely a minute on the clock.

From the resulting corner, Gavin Heeroo’s cross was met with a firm back post header by Chris Collins, which Danny Green cleared off the line.

The Hawks took the lead in the sixth minute when skipper James Bunn squared the ball across the 18-yard line to Jamie Richards, who coolly swept past Paul Nicholls in Sutton’s goal with his right foot.

But their lead only lasted five minutes, as Gavin McCallum slotted home from inside the area after a cross from Craig Davies on the right.

A long-range punt from Heeroo in the 32nd minute forced keeper Hasell to tip over the bar, before an incident nine minutes from the break left United lucky to have 11 players still on the field.

Steve McKimm handled Mark Taylor’s cross inside the six yard box and was very fortunate to escape with only a booking, with his team even more fortunate not to fall behind for a second time when Richards’ long run-up only preceded him rattling the bar with a fierce spot kick.

Collins headed just over Hasell’s bar on the stroke of half-time, before the Hawks stopper made a good save just seconds after the restart.

Matt Hann found himself with time and space on the edge of the box just prior to the hour mark, but he struck a quick volley over the bar.

Sutton’s goalscorer McCallum beat his man and went clear of the defence 10 minutes from time, but Hasell came out to acrobatically punch clear, while James Bunn saw a low deflected shot find its way to opposing keeper Nicholls.

A mistake by Ryan Kirby could have been costly two minutes into added time as McCallum stormed through, but Hasell was relieved to be able to pounce on the loose ball after it struck the post and rolled along the goalline.

Richards could have sent the points the other way in the dying seconds, but with the keeper off his line, his lob went wide of the far post.

Harlow Tn: James Hasell, Mark Taylor, Beckett Hollenbach, Danny Chapman, Ryan Kirby, Clark Akers (sub: Daniel Francis, 87), Leon Lalite, Jordan Fowler, Jamie Richards, James Bunn, Danny Green. Subs not used: Shaun Gliddon, Clydie Roberts, Paul Kear, Harrison Tague.