© 2008 Harlow Town Football Club
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AFC WIMBLEDON 1,
HARLOW TOWN 2
Ryman Football League, premier division 19/04/08
Match report by GRAEME AUGER
Photography by TONY FOWLES
HARLOW hit the ground running and never looked back as they scalped AFC Wimbledon in front of nearly 3,000 fans at Kingsmeadow.
They are now effectively safe in the premier division with one game left due to their superior goal difference.
Kenny Davis struck just 40 seconds into Saturday’s massive game, while Clark Akers, pushed into a forward position alongside James Bunn, added a second before the break.
And the Hawks were indebted to man of the match James Hasell in the second half for several breathtaking saves to keep the lead intact.
The visitors had a dream start when they built up a move on the left, with Danny Green passing to Clark Akers, who drilled low across the six yard box, with Kenny Davis popping up at the far post to net from close range with just 40 seconds on the clock.
This was Harlow’s quickest away goal of the season, but it doesn’t quite match work experience player Raphael Sylvester’s effort after 37 seconds at home to Harrow Borough on March 1st.
Predictably, Wimbledon pushed forward, and in the fourth minute, Danny Chapman was forced to head just past his own post after Elliot Buchanan had crossed from the left, before Hasell saved at his near post to keep out a low shot from Romone Rose a minute later.
The hosts continued to have the edge and on 33 minutes, Luis Cumbers broke down the
middle after a through ball from Rose, but Hasell was again quickly out to fly-
In a rare Hawks raid, a good run from Danny Green saw his final shot being deflected away for a corner, before in the 43rd minute, the side doubled their lead.
In a move down the middle, Shaun Gliddon played forward to James Bunn, and the Harlow
skipper flicked over central defender Rob Quinn with Clark Akers gaining possession.
The Wimbledon defenders awaited what turned out to be a non-
The hosts made a triple substitution at half time, which included the introduction
of Jon Main, who scored a hat-
One of his fellow replacements, Tony Finn, fired a low effort which tested Hasell a minute after the break, before a long range volley from Danny Green was wide at the other end.
But then Wimbledon really began to exert some pressure and in the 56th minute, Hasell made a great save to keep out Nic McDonnell’s header from Steven Ferguson’s cross.
On 63 minutes, Chris Hussey took one of a number of Dons free kicks in the second half, which went low and forced Hasell to turn away for a corner after seeing it late.
Harlow’s only real chance to increase their lead in the second half came mid-
Kenny Davis found the side netting with 18 minutes left, before a cross from Hussey on 73 minutes saw Ferguson take possession after miscommunication between Hasell and Ryan Kirby, but he shot over the bar.
Then Hasell came to the rescue again in the 74th minute when he turned Sam Hatton’s
fierce 20-
Wimbledon pulled one back in the 78th minute, when a corner from Hussey found its way to the far side, with Ferguson turning back to Rob Quinn, who scored from close range.
On 87 minutes, Hasell stopped the hosts taking a point with a double save. He kept out a long shot from McDonnell, before getting down to save from Jon Main, who had picked up the rebound.
Harlow Tn: James Hasell, Kenny Davis, Mark Taylor, Beckett Hollenbach, Ryan Kirby, Danny Chapman, Shaun Gliddon, Clark Akers (sub: Lewis Baker, 84), James Bunn, Jordan Fowler, Danny Green (sub: Kevin Warren, 90). Subs not used: Michael Gliddon, Michael Dumoulin.
