Superb Jammers display ends Harlow's unbeaten run

Maldon and Tiptree FC v Harlow Town FC Ryman League One North Tuesday 2 December

Harlow arrived at Park Drive hoping for the three points that would keep their long unbeaten run going and put them at the top of the league table but left licking their wounds with heads bowed as 10 man Maldon and Tiptree produced an awesome performance to win fairly easily with a single second half goal. Manager Alan Kimble (pictured) was reported as being over the moon.

The home side featured first with Mitch Hunter's free kick being headed back into the danger area by Tunde Adewunni for Max Lette-Jallow to fire wide before a quiet period of play ended when the visitors Shane Stamp put the ball in for James Smith to shoot over. The Jammers Cliff Akurang's heading ability came to the fore as he got up well to give Nathan Koranteng a half sight of goal but he pulled his effort wide. Harlow's Stamp then fired wide of the angle of bar and post before a quick break by the visitors ended with Stamp seeing his shot saved by home keeper Lewis Moore at the expense of a corner. Play was swinging from end to end and the home side were certainly not allowing themselves to be dominated by their opponents as first Adewunni then Koranteng ran at the visitors defence but were both forced wide and were not be able to capitalise on their efforts. Midway through the half a free kick from Harlow's David Cowley out on the right was only cleared out to Smith whose low shot sped narrowly past the post before another Cowley free kick went right across the home goal area with no one getting a touch. On 33 minutes the home side suffered what many believed would almost certainly lead to a defeat when Akurang was dismissed for an uncharacteristic stamp on a Harlow player but from almost that point on the home side buckled down to turn in an impressive display to deny the visitors although the visitors fashioned a half chance before half time when good interpassing between Smith and Stamp ended with the latter firing way over when well placed.

Half Time Maldon and Tiptree FC 0 Harlow FC 0.

With a man advantage the visitors would be expected to almost camp in the home sides half but Harlow looked way off the pace and determined play by the home side that saw them win almost all 50/50 balls and with the speedy Korateng and Adewunni always a danger up front the Jammers continued to have as much, if not, the better of the play. An early Harlow attack saw Smith put Appiah clear down the right but his dangerous cross was cleared before the home side took the lead with a classic goal after 60 minutes. The ball was quickly cleared out of the home defence to Koranteng and he held the ball up well before going forward to hit a fine lofted pass that put Alberto Pinto clear of the visitors defence and he expertly lobbed the ball over advancing Harlow keeper Ed Thompson. Three minutes later the visitors created what turned out to be their only good scoring chance when Cowley turned on the edge of the penalty area before getting a low shot away that produced a wonderful low diving save by home keeper Lewis Moore to push the ball away for a corner. Play then became mainly confined to the midfield area from where the visitors tried to pile forward but were surprisingly easily held at bay by Maldon and Tiptree's defence and Harlow just could not break down the home sides midfield or defence and the Jammers, with endless running by the forwards, could not produce goal scoring chances but did keep the visitors defence at full stretch. With no danger being created from open play the visitors were desperately looking to corner and any free kicks to put pressure on the home side but again the Jammers defence stood strong to deny any further scoring.

Man of the match: Alberto Pinto

Final score Maldon and Tiptree FC 1 Harlow Town FC 0

Maldon and Tiptree FC

Lewis Moore, Hayes Thomas, Mitch Hunter, Simon Glover, Ruddock Yala, Gavin Greenfield, Alberto Pinto, Max Lette-Jallow, Cliff Akurang, Tunde Adewunni (Alex Anderson 90), Nathan Koranteng

Unused Substitutes

Joshua Oyinsan, Taylor Nathaniel, Jojnathon Nzengo, Sam Ashford.

Harlow Town FC

Ed Thompson, Robbi Martin (Billy Jones 89) , Layne Eadie, Joshua Urquhart, Warren Goodhind, Fabian Simms, Junior Appiah (Jared Small 84), David Cowley, Alex Read, James Smith, Shane Smith (Luke Cuthbert 64)

Unused Substitutes

Daniel Matsuzaka, Michael Toner