Harlow 2

Whyteleafe 0

(Ryman League Division One)

IF GETTING a pasting on the first day of the season is what is needed to motivate Harlow's players then Ian Allinson would be well advised to tell his side to let in 20 for their first fixture of next year.

After a 6-1 stuffing at the hands of Worthing four weeks ago, the Hawks are proudly sitting at the top of Division One of the Ryman League.

Harlow's run of wins continued unabated last week with a 3-1 win over Bromley on Wednesday followed-up by a 2-0 win over Whyteleafe on Saturday.

On their visit to South-East London outfit Bromley last week, Harlow were certainly the better of the two sides.

A dominant display in the first half yielded just one goal, a Marvin Samuel penalty, but the display proved the Hawks certainly had the measure of the home side.

A 61st minute equaliser briefly brought Bromley back into the game but within five minutes they were down to ten men following the second yellow card awarded to John Wilfort.

Harlow capitalised on the 69th minute when a Mark Tivey corner fell to Marc Salmon on the edge of the box and the Hawks' front man fired in a low shot into the corner of the net.

Harlow wrapped up the points on 74 minutes when a Jon Hooker cross was headed home by Mark Tompkins.

Whyteleafe were the visitors to the Sportscentre last Saturday and on a very blustery autumn afternoon chances were at a premium.

Once again Harlow started well and they took the lead on 32 minutes when a deep corner from Jon Hooker was returned into the box by Tompkins and David Grey was on hand to head the ball home.

A scrappy first half was followed by an even more scrappy second half as Whyteleafe poured forward in search of an equaliser.

But Harlow's defence remained strong and the triumvirate of Grey, Cooke and Moore excelled in limiting the visitors' access to the Hawks' goal.

Inevitably Whyteleafe's forward momentum left them vulnerable at the back and on 88 minutes they were punished when a left-wing cross form Tompkins was met by John Hooker, who fired home from an acute angle.

This Saturday Harlow travel to Ryman Division Three side Whitham Town for the first round qualifying of the FA Cup.

HARLOW (vs Whyteleafe): Hassel, Samuel, Cooke, Grey, Moore, Tivey, Cowley, Tompkins, Coley, Hooker, Salmon.

Subs: Abbott, Young, Ramlings.

September 11, 2001 16:11