| Harlow Town | (0) 0 | - 0 (0) |
Hastings United
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United recovered from last weekend's disappointingly early FA Cup exit, with an improved showing this afternoon, to take a point from their first ever visit to Harlow Town. The home side certainly had the better of the play over the course of a less than enthralling ninety minutes, displaying a neat brand of passing football and looking solid enough at the back, with Jordan Fowler going closest to scoring with a long range shot that clipped the top of the crossbar. But after changing their formation at half time to match Harlow's 3-5-2 line-up, United saw a little more of the ball in the second period, and Lee Carey was only denied a late winner by a superb save from home keeper Michael Dumoulin.
With United facing the prospect of two games a week in at least five of the next six weeks, manager Nigel Kane had declared his intention to start rotating his squad ahead of this trip to Barrows Farm, an early sign of which was Lee's omission from the starting line-up for the first time this season. Danny Ellis returned to right hand side of midfield in his place, with Tom Poole making his full debut up front having been cup tied for last week's home defeat to Ramsgate. Kevin Rose was the other player to drop to the substitutes' bench, while David Henham lost his place in the sixteen man squad altogether. Sam Adams again featured as a late substitute, coming on for his one hundredth appearance in United colours, while keeper Lee Worgan was making his fiftieth. Like United, Harlow had won their place in the Premier Division via last season's play-offs, albeit they had finished as runners-up in Division One North. Ryan Kirby managed the side from the heart of a three man defensive unit, protected by a skilful five man midfield, which included the mercurially talented Leon Lalite. James Bunn skippered the side from a centre forward position, while young keeper Dumoulin was playing only his second game for the club and his first in the league.
Any plans United may have had to test the novice custodian in the early stages were quickly laid to waste, as the hosts made by far the faster start to the contest. Within two minutes, Jimmy Elford was forced into a vital clearance to prevent Lalite's cross from reaching Dean Williams at the far post, while Lee Worgan was also called into early action to beat away Mark Taylor's near post drive, after United were caught dithering from a quickly taken corner. Russell Eldridge managed United's first attempt on goal in the sixth minute, firing into the side netting from Scott Kirkwood's right wing cross, while back at the other end, Russell got in a crucial block to deflect Danny Hill's fiercely struck twenty yard volley over the bar. Fowler sent a long range lob volley onto the roof of the net, as Harlow continued to press, and that proved to be something of a sighter, as his later twenty yard shot then went closer still, striking the bar on its way out for a goal kick, that after Lee had failed to gather a Lalite shot. United enjoyed a better spell of possession at the mid-point of the half, after home defender Lee Miles was forced off the field for treatment to a head wound after being caught by Ade Olorunda's leading arm as they challenged for a long ball. But chances were hard to come by from United's point of view, although it took a desperate clearance from Danny Chapman to prevent Scott from running onto Ade's astute low cross from the right. Taylor chipped a twenty yard free kick just over the bar before the half hour mark, but United were gradually getting the measure of their hosts as the interval approached, denying them any further clearcut sights of goal, and started to look dangerous on the counter-attack themselves, with Scott going close after breaking from inside his own half.
Having paid Harlow the compliment of adjusting their system at the break, United then took a few minutes to find their feet again after the restart, with Bunn and Lalite both going close to putting the home side in front. Jimmy, by now playing in a three man defence, then presented Williams with a golden opportunity just before the hour mark, conceding possession deep in his own half, but Sean Ray got back quickly to get in a telling cover tackle, while Chapman headed the ensuing corner straight at Lee Worgan. Although they looked more at ease in the second half, United still only seemed to carry a significant threat of their own on the break, with Danny Ellis setting off on a long run and setting up Ade for a shot that was well blocked by Miles. Danny Spice's volleyed cross was then glanced tamely wide by Tom, and Danny himself completely lost composure when he scampered clean through onto Russell's long ball, attempting a first time shot from well outside the box that flew harmlessly over the bar. Fowler then went close with yet another strike from distance, before substitute Kenny Davis failed to direct a decent headed opportunity from Taylor's accurate centre. Four minutes from time, United went incredibly close to snatching what would have been a scarcely deserved victory, when Ade flicked a Danny Spice long throw into Lee Carey's path just inside the area, but Dumoulin produced a stunning save low to his right to push away Lee's left foot shot. The fact that it was the only save of real quality needed in the entire game spoke volumes for how much the two defences had dominated their opposing forward lines.
United remain winless on the road then, but should again take great heart from a decent effort against a useful Harlow side that has adapted to Premier Division life every bit as well as United have themselves. There will soon be another chance to pick up three points on the road though, when United travel to AFC Hornchurch on Tuesday evening, to take on last season's runaway Division One North champions.
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| Harlow Town (3-5-2) | Hastings United (4-4-2)
| 1 Michael Dumoulin | 1 Lee Worgan
| 2 Mark Taylor | 2 Danny Spice
| 3 Kevin Warren | 3 Jimmy Elford
| 4 Lee Miles | 4 Rhys Whyborne
| 5 Ryan Kirby | 5 Sean Ray (c)
| 6 Danny Chapman | 6 Dan Williams
| 7 Leon Lalite | 7 Danny Ellis
| 8 Danny Hill | 8 Scott Kirkwood |
9 James Bunn (c) | 9 Ade Olorunda
| 10 Jordan Fowler | 10 Tom Poole
| 11 Dean Williams | 11 Russell Eldridge
| Substitutes |
| 12 Danny Green (for Williams 82) | 12 Lee Carey (for Williams 57)
| 14 Michael Gliddon | 14 Sam Adams (for Poole 75)
| 15 Kenny Davis (for Hill 82) | 15 Kevin Rose
| 16 Louis Baker | 16 John Bradley (for Kirkwood 70)
| 17 Shaun Gliddon (for Warren 87) | 17 Nima Cham
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Attendance 282
Referee Mr N Field
Assistants Messrs D Pike & S Connor