Bowers & Pitsea 0 Harlow Town 3

Eastern Region Womens League Premier Division, Wednesday 4th November 2020 

My final game before lockdown saw me over at The Len Salmon Stadium on Wednesday night to see an Eastern Region Womens League Premier Division contest between Bowers & Pitsea and Harlow Town, and it saw the visitors net three goals without reply to grab their first away win of the season and go fourth in the division.

The hosts had sunk to the foot of the table at the weekend after a poor 3-0 home defeat to Bedford for whom it was their first win of the season to lift them off bottom spot, whilst Harlow Town had won a penalty shootout at the weekend to set up an FA Cup First Round proper tie at home to Ipswich Town, so they would have been in good spirits from this no doubt.

Despite the hosts slow start to the campaign, they knew a win here would take them level with their mid table opponents, whilst Harlow, who have games in hand on teams around them and above, would go fourth and level on points with third placed St Ives Town, and knew if they won their games in hand on leaders Wymondham Town after lockdown would only be two behind the leaders.

So points were as important as always despite the enforced break looming large, and predictions from most before the game expected the visitors to net a comfortable although these two had met in the FA Cup earlier this season and Harlow had edged to a 1-0 win, so maybe it would be another tight contest who knows.

Bowers actually began well and looked the more dangerous in the early exchanges although Harlow did venture forward themselves too with Chloe Bassett firing in a dangerous ball but no one was on hand to tap home, and then Olivia Steele almost capitalised on keeper Bethany Page’s error but the keeper managed to redeem herself.

Bowers then broke but saw a cross shot held by Walker, before a shot from the hosts went inches wide, but on the quarter hour mark Harlow edged in front as a cross from the left was sliced into the net by an unfortunate defender attempting to clear, it was certainly a poor way to go behind from the home sides perspective.

Georgia Box, famous for her wonderful voice and it is a very good singing voice it has to be said, sent a header at the visitors goal but this was comfortable for Page, before Nicole Farmer tried her luck from distance for the visitors but Page gathered well, and then Sophie Rhodes dragged well for the hosts as the half entered its final ten minutes.

The hosts mounted another attack through Ammarah Ali, but her ball to Juliet Thomas was pounced upon by Walker, and then a header from Hannah Porter went just wide of the hosts goal, and then came a really good chance for Harlow to extend their lead as after Page had spilt a ball forward, Steele saw a shot blocked before the follow up was lobbed over.

Bassett then saw an effort well held by Page, and that was to be the final act of the half as Harlow went into the break a goal ahead.  It had been a well contested match, but it was Harlow who had the only goal of the contest thus far.

Half Time Bowers & Pitsea 0 Harlow Town 1

Bowers had the first effort of the second period but saw an Ali shot well held by Walker, before Harlow went close with their own header, and then Harlow had the ball in the back of the net seven minutes into the second period but Steele had handled the ball before finishing into the corner so the goal was rightly chalked off.

Tayla Handscombe then tried her luck from distance but saw Bowers keeper Page equal to it, before a deflected effort from the hosts almost wrong foot Walker but she managed to hold on to the effort, and then another good run from Handscombe ended with her lost her footing while shooting so Page comfortably gathered for the hosts.

Steele then saw another effort at goal easy for Page, but with just over fifteen minutes remaining Harlow did double their lead when Handscombe was played in down the left and she curled a lovely finish beyond Page into the far corner and gave the visitors some breathing space heading into the final part of the contest.

Handscombe almost added another soon after when getting in down the left her shot to the near post was well saved by Page, whilst down the other end Bowers were looking for a route back into the game but could only fire over after a couple of blocked challenges from the visiting defence.

Harlow though were to have the final say in this one when they added a third in stoppage time after Davina Smith headed an effort into the far corner, and the visitors had sealed their first away win of the season and the points to boot, and heading for the top four as a result, a nice way to sign off before lockdown.

Bowers did play some nice stuff this evening themselves, but they had no end product sadly so lots to work on for when they do come back next month, but many positives to take from it too no doubt.  They do remain bottom though for now.

Full Time Bowers & Pitsea 0 Harlow Town 3