Harlow Town 2, Tilbury 1

Safe after a long season of worry, Tilbury took the opportunity to blood a number of youngsters against Ryman One North promotion contenders Harlow on Saturday and manager Tony Cross's side were far from disgraced.

What Dockers followers believe was probably the youngest ever side first team side fielded in a competitive fixture made the most of playing without the threat of relegation.

After overcoming the blow of losing Leon Antoine to injury in the pre-match warm up, they shocked the home side by taking the lead after four minutes when Danny Jones took the ball to the by-line. His cross was half cleared by a home defence that hadn't conceded in four matches but Oliver Hadley returned it with interest, drilling the ball past static keeper James Hassell for his first goal for the club.

Tilbury might even have extended the lead after 14 minutes when a ball from youngster Tom Reed was headed just past the upright by Bradley Smart.

Dockers were unable to keep up the early momentum and after 18 minutes were pegged back.

Harlow won a disputed free-kick 20 yards from goal and when the protests died down, Mark Taylor added to the visitors' sense of injustice by blasting the ball past Dean Neil.

Things got worse for Tilbury 11 minutes later when they surrendered the initiative to the home side, Danny Chapman heading home Leon Lalite's cross.

Despite that disappointment Tilbury continued to battle and what could be termed the turning point of the game came on 33 minutes when Danny Jones was put through on goal by Hadleys incisive ball, only to be jostled off it by Harlow player coach Ryan Kirby.

Referee John Steel initially waved play on but then responded to flag-waving assistant Alan Crawford by awarding a free-kick to Tilbury, whose supporters justifiably asked why Kirby didn't see red for bringing down a player when he was the last defender.

Tilbury's sense of injustice wasn't helped when Jordan Tolan fired in the subsequent free-kick which looked goal bound until taking a deflection off Kirby's toe and flying just outside the upright.

After a somewhat action-packed first half, the second 45 minutes was a low-key disappointment, with few chances.

Harlow looked happy to sit back and hold on for the points and Tilbury's young side lacked the guile or the legs to undo them.

In fact the only clear cut chance of the half fell to Harlow in the closing minutes when Dean Williams, who had previously scored for Wingate and Finchley against the Dockers, came close to netting again but he failed to produce the finish to match a mazy run through the visiting defence.

Tilbury are quickly back in action, with a trip to AFC Sudbury on Tuesday when they hope inspirational defender Paul King will be back from injury to bolster their rearguard against another side in promotion contention.

They also have a match on Thursday, travelling to Brentwood for an Eastern Floodlight Cup encounter.

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