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A
miserable sequence of 5 league games without a win came to an
end in a very entertaining game, sadly watched by only 239.
And although the final score looks convincing Harlow certainly
came to play football and created a number of solid chances.
Joe Vines was back from suspension but it was now the
turn of Alan McLeod and Colin Hartburn to take an enforced
break from the troubled midfield area. Stuart Myall was fit
again after the GBH inflicted on his ankle in the Maidstone
game and both loan signings started with Chris Sullivan wide
left and Zak Burke up front in a 4-4-2 (or perhaps 4-2-2-2)
formation.
Dave
King had an early opportunity to rebut the public criticism of
manager Smith after his errors in the Canvey game when he flew
across goal in the 4th minute to palm away a free
kick from just outside the box that was curling into the top
corner. Then followed the first of several lengthy
lectures for back chat from referee Mr Smith. When a ref
starts serious lecturing as early as this should it be taken
as something of a clue? The beneficiary this time was (guessed
yet?) our own Dean Hamlin.
Aaron
Goode nodded back a deep free kick but found nobody poaching
in the middle. However the next free kick in the 9th
min was more fruitful. Matt York floated the ball forward from
just inside the Harlow half and PAUL
VINES got to the ball first and caressed it on the volley
into the bottom left hand corner. Harlow responded by
hurrying Anthony Howell into a clearance that cannoned off a
Tooting player for Lalite to take a snap shot followed by a
corner off Hamlin that King dealt with well.
Chris
Sullivan looked to run at his full back from the start and in
the 15th min he hurried Green into a clearance that
hit him full in the face and then rebounded to the edge of the
penalty area. At that moment time, and the Harlow players,
seemed to stand still. However PAUL
VINES had other ideas and rushed forward to steer the ball
to the same spot as his first goal.
Stuart
Myall & Matt York were picking up the ball in midfield
and, glory be, looking to laying it off to the feet of players
wearing the same shirt. And one of those moves released Craig
Pitterson, looking much more comfortable down the right hand
side. But in the 21st min Harlow got back into the
match when a ball played forward bounced up and hit a hand/arm
to appeals from many in red. Referee Smith initially awarded a
free kick outside the box but, after consulting his linesman
who was standing with flag raised, changed the decision to a
penalty. Fair
enough, good cooperation. Having changed his mind once
was he going to change his mind again?
But to the frustration of the home fans Hamlin thought
he would try and, as usual, got himself needlessly booked. As
night follows day another suspension will follow soon.
MARK TAYLOR scored the penalty.
Suspensions
had forced Harlow to play left back Hollenbach in an
unfamiliar role as centre back and he was already having an
uncomfortable time coping with Vines & Burke which
resulted in a booking. Sullivan forced his way into the box
after a jinking run and took a shot that richoched off the
keeper and just failed to go in. And all that pressure
paid off when Burke was hauled down in the box by keeper Hasel
after following in on a header.
Surely this was goal number 3 and game over as highly
reliable penalty taker York stepped up.
To the astonishment of all he blazed it high and wide.
In his defense Hasel seemed to be performing acrobatics well
off his line long before the kick was taken unseen by Mr Smith
who was looking directly up the field!
Very odd position.
The 32nd min saw Mr Smith lecturing Joe Vines
and Harlow centre forward Richards for being a little over
competitive and Richards came off worse as he also got a
yellow card. Myall
picked up a clearance and played a neat ball to slip Sullivan
in on another twisting, turning run that resulted in a corner
from Howell the keeper just managed to clear. Joe Vines
then also got himself booked for dissent.
Yet more frustration for the home fans.
The
tricky Sullivan then forced a booking for another Harlow
defender with his direct play but the half finished with a
neat ball from Lalite slipped through the middle, a pass he
was to repeat 3 times, that required a smart King save.
Half Time 2-1
Before
the game restarted the crowd, and especially the bench, were
captivated by some neat moves from coach George Wakeling to
‘I Haven’t Stopped Dancing Yet’ that will surely see him
starring as Tooting’s John Sergeant in the next series of
‘Strictly Come Dancing’.
The more serious business began with a run down the
left by York who, on seeing no better option, cut inside but
shot over. However the next 10 minutes saw a concerted spell
of pressure by Harlow with Lalite especially tricky with the
ball. Kear shot wide after a run and then Green forced
another save from King and a Joe Vines goal line clearance
after Goode had won, and then lost, the ball when a simple
pass looked on. Soon after Tooting substituted Ben Abbey
for Burke who was struggling after a heavy challenge.
The
69th min saw PAUL VINES complete his hat
trick (his 7th career match ball) when he poked
home a half cleared corner from Howell that he had played in
again and the keeper only parried.
More Sullivan magic saw him take on and beat 3 players
from wide left and finish with a saved shot from the edge of
the box. Tooting were then forced to replace the limping Myall
with Callum Crawley and Harlow made two changes of their own.
Although behind and probably beaten Harlow again enjoyed
a period of attacking play when, after several corners and a
shot from Richards, they scored in the 76th min. A
cross was not cleared and King blocked two shots before
substitute TOM BRUNO scored from close in. Still time
for Sullivan to shoot over after a King long kick, won by
Abbey, was slipped through by Callum. And Paul Vines could
have had his 4th when he hit the post after pouncing on a
saved shot by Abbey following yet another Sullivan run past 3
defenders.
And
even the 3 added minutes produced a header just wide by
Richards from a corner and a final and well deserved goal for Chris
Sullivan who ran on to a long King kick that was flicked
on in the 92nd min to slide the ball home.
In conclusion: Attackers who run at defenders create
space and chances for others. Loan signings are a good
thing when they fill large gaps. Defenders will always
get bookings for tackles they have to make. But being carded
time after time for chatting to refs who will never change
their mind is crazy and lets the team down.
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