A strong-looking Maldon & Tiptree squad at last got some reward for their league performances with a well-deserved victory at the superbly-appointed Barrows Farm Stadium where home club Harlow had previously been unbeaten this season. Although still without Lee Blackburn, Neil Cousins and the recently-injured James Abbott, M & T were able to include Adam Flanagan for his first start of the season, Lee Townrow returned after the first of his two-match suspension, and new signing Leon Antoine was included among the substitutes. Loanee Kevin McLeod started up front alongside the in-form Sos Yao, with Ross Wall relegated to the bench, and Townrow slotted into Abbott’s midfield position. The Harlow line-up included former M & T players Jack Haverson and Michael Deane while Rhys Henry was among the home substitutes.
In ideal conditions on a mild October evening M & T kicked off and started the stronger as Sos Yao shot wide from distance after 5 minutes when a pass to one of four unmarked colleagues may have been the better option. In their first attack, Harlow took the lead after only 7 minutes when, first a misjudged header from Flanagan allowed Wixon to get in a shot which was deflected narrowly wide of the far post and from the resultant low corner WIXON was unmarked at the near post and he had time to bring the ball under control before drilling low into the net through a crowd of players and past an unsighted Darren Behcett. The visitors responded immediately and on 8 minutes Yao almost reached a McLeod through ball ahead of home keeper Bossu who collected the ball at the second attempt and then, four minutes later, when a Dave Collins free-kick was only half cleared, McLeod fired narrowly wide. M & T equalised on 13 minutes when Flanagan broke up a home attack to feed the ball to Yao who reached McLeod wide on the right with a superb diagonal long ball and he crossed to the far post where JAMES LAWSON rose to give Bossu no chance with a strong header. It was no more than the visitors deserved in what had been an entertaining opening period.
M & T continued to push forward at every opportunity with Sos Yao being the main danger to the home defence and, on 19 minutes, he found space behind Michael Deane on the right, but his cross was marginally behind the in-rushing Lee Townrow who was unable to get a shot on goal. However, Harlow were creating chances of their own and, a minute later Leon Lalite cut in from the right wing but fired narrowly wide of the far post and then Luke Marshall was on the end of a long ball to the opposite flank but put his effort over the bar. On 23 minutes the visitors had an excellent chance to take the lead when a Joe Pearman pass found Yao unmarked in the penalty area but he shot straight at keeper Bossu. Harlow’s Luke Marshall was causing the M & T defence a few problems as he was difficult to pick up as he played across the front line but, after an uncertain start, Flanagan and Cousins were beginning to show the benefit of their considerable experience playing together and the home side’s chances faded as a result. M & T looked the more dangerous side as on 33 minutes an excellent cross from McLeod found Pearman free on the left but he tried to control the ball rather trying a first time effort on goal and the chance was gone, then, ten minutes later a run from Yao took him past 3 defenders but he delayed his shot and the ball bounced kindly into Bossu’s hands. Harlow had the last chance of the first half when good interplay between Bruno and Docker on the right ended with Bruno firing a ball across goal but nobody was available to get the final touch.
Half-time: Harlow Town 1 Maldon & Tiptree 1
It was the visitors who continued to have the upper hand after the interval as Berquez and Yao were immediately involved in an exchange of passes on 47 minutes which ended with a weak Berquez shot which was easily collected by Bossu. Then, on 51 minutes, Yao was fouled on the edge of the Harlow penalty area and Kevin McLeod curled his effort inches wide of the far post with Bossu beaten. Only a minute later a Lawson cross from the right found Yao unmarked in the area but he headed the ball down and it again bounced kindly for the grateful Bossu. Jack Haverson was having a torrid time against the lively M & T attack and on 54 minutes he received a yellow card for a late challenge on Townrow. From the free-kick Billy Burgess got behind the Harlow defence on the right but, under pressure from two defenders, his cross went behind. Two minutes later Ian Cousins followed Haverson into the referee’s notebook when, on the strength of the assistant’s flag, he was somewhat harshly adjudged to have blocked Wixon’s efforts to reach a back pass. Deane fired the free kick wide. At this stage, on the hour mark, the game was being littered with niggling fouls but referee Mr Ramsey was having an excellent game as was demonstrated when he gave a lecture to Harlow’s Lalite, in the presence of his captain Danny Brown, for a nasty challenge on Yao when other referees would have brandished another yellow card.
On 62 minutes M & T brought on Leon Antoine to replace Joe Pearman as they went in search of their second goal but it was the home side who created the better chances as, on 67 minutes, Michael Deane dragged his effort wide of the near post from 15 yards and then, only a minute later, the same player was again wide of the target. On 71 minutes Sos Yao held onto the ball for what seemed like an eternity in the penalty area without a challenge from a home defender but, rather than find an unmarked team-mate, the delay meant that his shot was eventually blocked. M& T were eventually rewarded for their increasing pressure after 72 minutes when Dave Collins found himself in space on the left and his pinpoint cross was headed home by the unmarked SOS YAO. On 73 minutes Harlow replaced Jon Docker with Matt Mitchell and, at the same time, Flanagan ended a very satisfactory league debut when he was replaced by Jack Stevenson who went into midfield with Lee Townrow moving into the back line. M& T appeared to get very nervous after taking the lead, defending almost on the edge of their penalty area, and this allowed Harlow to get on top as Lalite was narrowly wide of the target with a close-range header on 82 minutes.
After 84 minutes M & T replaced James Lawson with Marcus Milner and Harlow went for broke by bringing on Rhys Henry to replace Wixon but, other than a dangerous corner in the third minute of the four minutes added on, the visitors closed out the game without further scares to gain their first away victory of the season.
Full-time: Harlow Town 1 Maldon & Tiptree 2
Attendance: 116
Maldon & Tiptree Harlow Town
1 Darren Behcet 1 Bertrand Bossu
2 Billy Burgess 2 Luke Marshall
3 Dave Collins 3 Jack Haverson
4 Lee Townrow 4 Lee Gledhill
5 Adam Flanagan 5 Ryan Kirby
6 Ian Cousins 6 Danny Brown
7 James Lawson 7 Michael Deane
8 Ollie Berquez 8 Leon Lalite
9 Kevin McLeod 9 Piers Wixon
10 Sos Yao 10 Tom Bruno
11 Joe Pearman 11 Jon Docker
12 Leon Antoine (for Pearman – 62 mins) 12 Matt Mitchell (for Docker – 73 mins)
14 Marcus Milner (for Lawson – 84 mins) 14 Rhys Henry (for Wixon – 84 mins)
15 Jack Stevenson (for Flanagan – 73 mins) 15 Getro Kilapi
16 Freddie Ladapo 16 Christian Wheeler
17 Ross Wall 17 Michael Dumoulin
Maldon & Tiptree Man-of-the-Match:
Sos Yao
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