Terry Lynes Lowestoft Town went straight for the jugular to prevent a possible banana skin scenario when they travelled to basement club Harlow Town. The Essex side were unveiling new owners at a press conference prior to the game and included four new signings in their squad.

Terry Lynes

Top team Lowestoft Town went straight for the jugular to prevent a possible banana skin scenario when they travelled to Ryman Division One North basement club Harlow Town. The Essex side unveiled new owners at a press conference prior to the game and included four new signings in their squad.

The Trawlerboys opened the scoring with their first attack in the second minute. Andrew Fisk threaded a pass through the centre of defence to send Gary McGee clear to shoot past James Hassell. Lowestoft were continually pressing the home side back and were close to increasing their lead when Gary Holt sent a header from Joe Francis' corner inches over the bar.

Although little was seen from Harlow as an attacking force, a needlessly conceded corner by Greg Crane saw Lee Protheroe send a header flashing across goal and just wide.

Lowestoft were soon on the attack again as Francis sent a 30-yard effort a foot wide then flashed a shot across the face of the goal after both Matt Nolan and McGee had headed on an Adam Smith free kick.

Francis was causing the Harlow defence plenty of problems and he got on to the end of another Fisk-Nolan move but saw his chip over the keeper land on the roof of the net. A foul on Nolan 35 yards out led to Adam Smith trying a shot at goal which cannoned back off a post.

With the first half entering its final minute Lowestoft added a second goal. Smith's throw in to Fisk was played inside Mark Taylor for Francis to take to the byeline, and his low cross was turned in from close range by Craig Bussens.

There was almost time for a third goal as a free-kick into the area set up Bussens to head against a post and Nolan hit the upright in the subsequent scramble.

In the second half Hassell pushed a Fisk shot wide then dived to save from McGee with Nolan screaming for the ball in front of an unguarded net.

Harlow substitute Julian Edwards almost made an immediate impression as he broke clear but Andy Reynolds turned away his shot.

The Blues finally gave the scoreline a more realistic look with two goals in three minutes. Nolan shot home from the edge of the area in the 69th minute and two minutes later he threaded the ball through for Francis to go past his marker and shoot across the keeper. Greg Crane had a late header from a right wing corner cleared off the line. Louis Cutajar came off the bench for the final 10 minutes for his first taste of Ryman League football.

Harlow: Hassell, Taylor, Simpson, Protheroe, Scott (Sub Espinozu 75), Maxwell, Dobson, Pike, Grant (Sub Chapman 75), Knight, Oholi (Sub Edwards 57), Subs (not used) Samuel, Horton.

Lowestoft: Reynolds, Poppy, Smith, Holt, Crane, Plaskett, Bussens, Fisk (Sub Cutajar 81), Nolan (Sub Bloomfield 74), McGee, Francis (Sub Forshaw 74), Subs (not used) Darren Cockrill, Potter. Att: 230.