It would be easy to see Harlow's resignation in the context of what it means for us but the real significance is that it highlights the difficulties that all clubs at our level face from time to time. We all live on a financial knife edge and Harlow have been forced to decide which is better. To carry on playing or cut their losses and rebuild. A painful decision but the right one has been made for the long term future of the club.

Their ground, arguably one of if not the best in our division, will see no football before the relaying of the artificial surface there. It had been re-laid in the summer but over a sand-based under-lay. This has proved problematic with the playing surface becoming irregular and undulated. Remedying this is not an overnight task hence their decision to suspend football which is explained in the club statement. We wish them well.

For us this means last month's defeat at Harlow will be expunged from the league records along with all their other results. Other clubs will suffer points deductions from the games in which they beat or drew with Harlow. The revised league table is here.