Harlow Town 3–4 Thurrock (AET)

From the Harlow Arena

Ryman One North play-off semi-final

 

THURROCK triumphed in an epic play-off semi-final against Harlow Town to move to within one win of the Ryman Premier League.

Fleet beat Harlow 4-3 after extra-time in a cracking match that had everything – goals, controversy and two red cards at the end of the added 30 minutes.

Ross Wall grabbed the decisive goal in a pulsating tie, that had seen Thurrock take the lead after 20 seconds before in at half-time 2-1 down.

Charlie Stimson grabbed a leveller before two goals in the first period of extra time put Fleet in charge.

This was after they had missed a penalty, leaving Harlow the chance to bombard their goal in the final period – coming within inches of forcing spot-kicks.

But Fleet held out and will head to Brentwood Town in the final on Sunday, after they overcame AFC Sudbury on penalties.

And manager Mark Stimson said he was proud of the effort his players had put in.

“It is a difficult game to describe,” he said. “We scored so early but then went behind but we kept doing what we are good at and we managed to win.

“We couldn’t get our passing game going as they were putting us under so much pressure in the first half so we changed our shape (by switching defender Gareth Madden for attacker Steve Carvell) and it worked.

“We went 3-2 up and missed the penalty and at that point you wonder if it is going to be your night as we knew they weren’t going to give up.

“We have a very young side with most of our team under 23 but they were all brilliant for us.”

Harlow had missed out on the league title by a solitary point, ending the season on a remarkable 103 points.

But that wasn’t enough to earn them automatic promotion and, having secured a play-off berth in the penultimate game of the campaign, it was Stimson’s Thurrock who were the visitors to the Harlow Arena.

But remarkably it was Thurrock who struck first – after only 20 seconds! From Harlow’s kick-off, the ball was nicked and sent down the right flank to Leslie Thompson. The winger jinked inside and out before crossing towards Lewwis Spence.

And Spence’s presence was enough for Warren Goodhind to skew into his own goal.

Harlow responded and had seen an effort thunder off the post within 10 minutes – David Cowley with a delightful effort that beat Rhys Madden but not the woodwork.

But Harlow weren’t to be denied for much longer, although the goal could have been avoided from Thurrock’s perspective.

A deep free-kick from Cowley sailed over the head of a Fleet defender before Junior Dadson picked it up, with a delightful touch, and shot at goal.

Madden denied him superbly but Alex Read was on hand to net the loose ball.

Neither team could get control of the ball, although Stimson’s side should have restored their lead after 20 minutes – as Thompson pounced on a defensive error to bear down on goal.

But former Fleet goalkeeper Andy Walker came out to deny the Thurrock man.

Thurrock were made to rue that miss as Harlow pressed and, after 32 minutes, they turned the game on its head.

A delightful piece of skill on the Thurrock right saw Dadson leave Gareth Madden for dead and cross towards the near post. Read was on his toes and nipped ahead of Lewis Clark to find the corner.

Chances were few and far between for the rest of the half and it remained 2-1 at the break.

The second-half started tentatively, with Fleet looking for a route back into the game but the best chance of the opening exchanges fell to Harlow.

Clark was outmuscled on the edge of the penalty area and Dadson picked up the ball, only for his fierce effort to fly past the far post.

Back came Thurrock, with the width of the goal frame keeping Harlow in front. A neat exchange in the penalty box between Stimson and Wall saw the latter pick up the ball and send it crashing back off the bar.

But Fleet weren’t to be denied for long. A ball into the box caused chaos and Stimson found the ball at his feet. He was brilliantly denied first time around by former teammate Walker but he couldn’t save the rebound.

Fleet were now the team on top, but they were almost undone by the brilliance of Read – who danced between two men only to be denied by the legs of the impressive Madden.

The two sides exchanged chances before full-time but there was nothing between them come the full-time whistle, with Fleet coming closest in the dying embers as Wall hit the bar.

Into extra-time Fleet raced out the blocks and a whirlwind 15 minutes, including two goals and missed penalty, won them the tie.

Firstly, man-of-the-match Thompson got himself on the score sheet. A wonderful lofted through ball found the winger and he lobbed Walker from 20 yards to send the away fans into raptures.

And when Stimson was brought down in the box it appeared Fleet would have the game won within five minutes of the restart, but Aaron Waters’ dreadful penalty was skewed well wide of the target.

Off the hook, Harlow broke forward but they were caught on the counter. Substitute Carvell found space down the right and crossed for Wall to tap into an empty net.

4-2 at half-time, it appeared Thurrock would sit back and consolidate their lead, but they didn’t.

On the attack from the off, Fleet were caught on the counter and a mad five minutes saw Harlow right back in the match.

Within two minutes of the restart Dadson bundled over the line after neat work from substitute Jamie Guy to make it 4-3 and send Fleet fans’ nerves jangling.

Two minutes later Harlow had the ball in the net again, only for the referee to rule out substitute and on-loan Southend United defender Dan Matsuzaka’s strike because of a tug in the area.

A flurry of late action saw both teams come close, with red cards to both Urquhart and Stimson after they became involved in a late scrap.

But it is Thurrock who prevailed and they will meet Brentwood on Sunday afternoon.

 

Harlow Town: Walker, Pope, Eadie, Urquhart (Matsuzaka), Goodhind, Simms, Cowley, Read (Guy), Antoine (Jones), Dadson

Thurrock: R Madden, G Madden (Carvell), L Clark, R Clark, Sutton, Goode, Thompson (J Clark), Spence, Christou, Wall, Stimson