The Angels lost their third league game in succession although they could consider themselves hard done by not to have gained at least a point if not all three as Harlow laboured to maximum reward.

It was honours even at the break with one goal apiece with perhaps the visitors having the best of a half in which there were not too many gilt edged chances. Once again however the visitors made life difficult for themselves by going a goal down after just 3 minutes. An attack from Harlow down the right was not dealt with properly and with the away defence out of position Nigel Neita forced the ball past Angels keeper Jonny Henly.

It looked as if it was heading for a difficult afternoon for the Angels but gradually they worked themselves back into the game mainly through the probing of Joe Turner, Tom Beere and Tommy Whitnell. Alex Akrofi had a couple of sighters on 11 and 17 minutes but there was a genuine Angels chance on 21 minutes when Tommy Whitnell played in Tom Beere with only keeper Ben McNamara to beat, but the custodian made an excellent block save to preserve Harlow’s lead.

On 22 minutes Joe Turner was through but somehow a Harlow defender managed to shepherd the ball out for a corner and then a speculative cross cum shot from Liam Smith in the 36th minute could have embarrassed McNamara but the ball swerved past the upright.

On 45 minutes a beautiful flowing Tonbridge move between Turner, Thompson and Whitnell was only stopped at the expense of a corner but with the ball travelling around just outside the Harlow penalty area the home side committed an offence with Tom Beere‘s free kick crashing against the crossbar and appearing to go over the goal line. In the end it didn’t matter as Akrofi reacted quickest and nodded the ball home to make sure.

Tonbridge made the better start to the second half but the first decent chance fell to the home side with Neita getting in a teasing cross forcing Jeya Siva to head the ball away for a corner almost from under his own crossbar. From the resultant Harlow corner Ibrahima Sonko got in a firm header but it was straight at Angels keeper Jonny Henly. Another corner quickly followed for Harlow and with something of a scramble in the Tonbridge goal area it required a goal line Whitnell clearance to prevent the hosts from going ahead once again.

After that, it was mainly the Angels doing the pressing with on 59 minutes a Tom Beere effort just over the bar and five minutes later Whitnell’s snap shot just past the right hand post.

It was all to go wrong for the Angels however on 74 minutes when Sonny Miles was adjudged to have handled just outside the area with the Harlow free kick from Andnea Kampala Mayasi somehow finding the back of net having taken the faintest of touches off Alex Reid’s head. Although somewhat against the run of play it meant that the Angels were once again chasing the game.

In fact it was Harlow for five minutes following that decisive strike that looked the likelier to score again with Craig Stone having to do some desperate defending.

However for the last 10 minutes or so it was the away side who tried to take the initiative with Whitnell, Beere and substitute Nathan Elder all going close but Harlow held on for what they will probably feel was a hard earned three points.

Afterwards, Angels manager Steve McKimm said: “Of course we played enough decent football to get something out of the game but the fact is we haven’t because we haven’t defended well enough when called upon. We will work on defensive responsibilities and I can assure you we will get it right.”