Ryman Div One North Play Off Semi Finals

Harlow Town 3 v 0 Cray Wanderers

By Matt Biggadike

Ryman Division One North play-off semi-final – 27/04/16 – Harlow Arena

Harlow Town 3 0 Cray Wanderers

By Matt Biggadike

A SUPREMELY dominant second half performance sent the Hawks marching into Sunday’s play-off final where they will face AFC Hornchurch, who beat Thurrock 2-0 in the division’s other semi-final.

A quick-fire start to the second half by the hosts proved too hot to handle for Cray, who were stunned by a Junior Dadson goal and a Alex Read penalty shortly after the restart.

It was a cagey start to the game, with both sides seemingly unwilling to make the first move in what was a nervous atmosphere.

It took Harlow 10 minutes to create their first chance, when left-back Layne Eadie’s low cross fell to Jared Small at the back post – however the winger was unable to handle the pace on the ball as it slipped underneath his foot and went out for a throw.

Harlow were finding joy down both flanks throughout the first 20 minutes however seemed to lack an end product, meaning most chances petered out in the final-third.

The best chance of the half undoubtedly fell to Cray Wanderers striker James Duckworth on 21 minutes when he capitalised on a slip by Hawks centre-half Ibrahima Sonko before rounding the keeper only to see his shot from a tight angle hit the side netting – provoking a huge roar of relief from the home fans.

Half-Time: Harlow Town 0-0 Cray Wanderers

Harlow came flying out of the traps in the second half when Jared Small somehow wriggled through three Cray players in the corner before finding Junior Dadson with a cut-back. Dadson calmly fired the ball home to break the deadlock on 48 minutes.

The host’s lead was doubled five minutes later when referee Tim Donnellan awarded a penalty for a clear foul by Cray skipper Lea Dawson on Read. Read duly finished the penalty to give the Hawks a healthy 2-0 cushion.

The victory was sealed just after the hour mark when Small, who had been electric throughout the game, produced a surging run into the Cray half – finding Piers Wixon with a cut back. Wixon tucked the ball home in what looked an exact replica of Dadson’s opening goal.

With the tie all-but-over the final 20 minutes were played at a pace dictated by the hosts, who seemed firmly in control.

Cray did however have the opportunity to grab a consolation goal deep into stoppage time when Leigh Bremner met a deep cross from Sean Roberts, however he blazed his volley over the bar from 10 yards to seal a miserable evening for the visitors.

Full-time: Harlow Town 3-0 Cray Wanderers

Harlow now face AFC Hornchurch in Sunday’s play off final at the Harlow Arena to determine who will be heading into the Ryman League Premier Division.

Harlow boss Danny Chapman said after the game: “I’m delighted, I’d say we were dominant throughout the 90 minutes.

“We had a game plan from the start, we know Cray are a good passing side so we knew we had to stop that to take control of the game. Today to a man we were spot on and that’s why we’ve won 3-0.”

Chapman was also quick to praise a superb performance by winger Jared Small: “He was fantastic. He’s one of those players who, on his day, will tear apart any full-back.

“But without singling out any one player, I thought the whole team were fantastic tonight.”

Harlow beat their play-off final opponents, AFC Hornchurch, 3-1 earlier in the year but Chapman insists this has no significance when it comes to a play-off final: “It means nothing, Cray beat us earlier on in the season and we’ve come away with the win tonight so you can’t look at it that way.

“The two front boys for Hornchurch are a threat.

“They’re a side very similar to ourselves in how they play, so again it’s going to be the team that turns up on the day that will get promotion.”

HARLOW TOWN: Hughes, Pope (c), Eadie (Melaugh 74), West, Sonko, Simms, Small, Gordon , Read (Antoine 85), Wixon (Noto 81), Dadson

Subs not used: Benjamin, Ryan

CRAY WANDERERS: Blue, Osifuwa, Basey (Carpenter 45), Leader, Payne, Dawson (c), Roberts, Dent (Mascoll 63), Bremner, Duckworth, Tajbakhsh (Frieter 45)

Subs not used: Faulkner, Hyde

Att- 832