Spartan South Midland Cup

Harlow Town 0 v 2 Tring Athletic

HARLOW looked to bounce back from a heavy defeat in the league when they welcomed Tring Athletic to Essex on Tuesday night in the Premier Division Cup. However things didn’t go to plan as the Hawks suffered a 2-0 loss reports Matt Brown

The hosts got off to a good start and very nearly took an early lead when Stef Georgiou put an excellent ball into the box only for an Alfie Attrill effort to be denied.

Both sides looked up for the game and seemed to be looking to create chances in the opening 15 minutes but neither team could find the bit of extra quality to convert any potential efforts.

The visitors also felt they should’ve had a penalty but their appeals were swiftly waved away by the referee.

 The hosts seemed to grow increasingly in confidence as the half wore on and they continued to look to create chances but once again just couldn’t find that little spark to turn opportunities into goals.

The referee would blow his whistle for half time with the deadlock still yet to be broken but with both sides having had sniffs at goal throughout.

Much like the first half the second half began with a great chance for Harlow but once again the home side weren’t able to find the back of the net.

It was a relatively end to end affair with both sides having some good chances, Tring somewhat wasted a free kick in a decent position before coming close from another albeit an effort from slightly further out. Harlow meanwhile squandered a good chance before Umaru Kabia couldn’t beat the keeper after a neat passage of play.

Harlow once again had a good opportunity only for the effort to be dragged wide much to the frustration of those in red. Tring soon had another chance of their own when a superb ball was played into the box but a connecting header fell just wide of the post.

Visiting keeper Jake Alley was forced into a good save to deny a long range effort, Harlow once again frustrated they’d not been able to find a way through.

There was a nervous moment when Harlow defender Jack Wilson collided hip first with the pitch side barrier after a coming together with an opposition player, thankfully the centre back was ok to continue.

As the game entered the final 5 minutes it looked destined for a dreaded penalty shootout until in the 92nd minute Tring striker George Devine’s effort ended up in the back of the net to finally break the deadlock.

The home side knew they had little time left to score a leveller but almost seemed to be content trying to pass the ball around, however they did eventually whip a cross into a brilliant position in the penalty area. However it narrowly missed the head of Reece Simpson and with that Tring would’ve felt the job was done.

Still the referee continued play and with Harlow desperate for a leveller to take the game to a shoot out Tring struck the final blow when Max Hercules hit a sensational strike that sailed beyond Dawid Krusinski into the back of the net. There was simply nothing the young Harlow keeper could’ve done to deny the goal, a truly brilliant finish.