© 2008 Harlow Town Football Club

Latest League Table from Tony Kempster

 

 

Fixtures and Results for the First Team

MAIDSTONE UNITED 1,

HARLOW TOWN 1

Ryman Football League, premier division 01/12/07

Match report by BILLY SHAW

Photography by TONY FOWLES

 

LEON Lalite ensured the Hawks took home a point from Kent on Saturday afternoon when he belted in the equalizer against a depleted Maidstone United.

The home side had taken the lead on the stroke of half time before Lalite leveled in the 63rd minute, although even when Maidstone were reduced to ten men 20 minutes from time, it was United who looked like nicking it.

Harlow keeper James Hasell was forced into countless reflex saves to deny the Stones’ forwards in the latter stages, but in the end the draw was a fair result.

Danny Green, who started up front alongside Raphael Sylvester, was sent through by Lalite’s clever flick three minutes in, but the defence was sharp and he was dispossessed.

Stones keeper Pat Mullin failed to deal with a cross-cum-shot from Mark Taylor on the left and the ball fell to Sylvester, but the youngster signed on work experience from Leyton Orient shot straight at the now floored stopper from close range and forced a corner.

David Lee’s 13th-minute corner was pushed out by Mullin, but only as far as Green, whose left-footed shot through the crowd struck the keeper’s left-hand post.

Clark Akers’ last-ditch tackle stopped menacing United attacker Nick Hegley from going clear on 16 minutes, before at the other end, Danny Green took too long to take control of Sylvester’s pass and saw his shot blocked by Craig Roser mid-way through the half.

Ray Freeman got goal side of Mark Taylor with four minutes until the break, but the dependable Harlow wing back made a good recovery to steal the ball and concede a corner.

But on the stroke of half time, Maidstone took the lead when Hegley cut in from the left, riding the challenges of two defenders before slotting neatly past the committed Hasell into the bottom corner.

Mo Takalobighashi was lucky to escape a red card when he clattered into Mark Taylor before appearing to kick out at the Hawks defender, the referee seeing fit only to caution the midfielder.

The visitors equalized sensationally on 63 minutes when Raphael Sylvester teed up Leon Lalite, who angled a fierce shot past Mullin into the roof of the net.

Ray Freeman’s 25-yard effort was stopped low by keeper Hasell, before the Stones were reduced to ten men in the 72nd minute, Andy Martin receiving a straight red for a studs-up tackle, again with Taylor as the victim.

Hasell heroically tipped round the foot of the left post after Hagley’s shot found its way through the line of defence five minutes later, before Chris Smalling’s header from substitute Aaron Lacy’s cross was tipped over by the keeper.

With seven minutes left, Takalobighashi struck the outside of the post after a defensive error by Lee Miles.

Kenny Davis nearly stole the points for Harlow when he ran onto Dean Williams’ lay-off, but this time it was Hasell’s opposite number Mullin who tipped round the post.

Hasell then denied Smalling on 88 minutes, before Taylor’s low shot came back off Mullin at the opposite end, with Lalite firing over from the rebound.

Harlow Tn: James Hasell, Clark Akers (sub: Kenny Davis, 45), Mark Taylor, Danny Chapman, Ryan Kirby, Lee Miles, Leon Lalite, David Lee, Raphael Sylvester (sub: James Bunn, 86), Jordan Fowler, Danny Green (sub: Dean Williams, 67). Subs not used: Beckett Hollenbach, Shaun Gliddon.