That’s the Way To Do It!
After a lacklustre midweek exit from the League Cup Ks fans were not particularly confident of breaking a three match losing streak against Harlow, a team who did the double over Ks last season. But break the streak they did and in emphatic style, scoring six unanswered goals to record their biggest win for over two years.
As well as facing a Ks side who clearly had their shooting boots on Harlow were somewhat unlucky to find Rob Tolfrey in inspired form - the goalkeeper made two excellent first half saves to keep out efforts that might otherwise have changed the complexion of the game. At the back though Harlow were ragged and Ks in a mood to take full advantage.
The lively Kane Haysman was involved in much of Ks' early pressure, holding off Ibrahima Sonko - a former Senegalese international with Premier League experience for Reading and Stoke - to force Ben McNamara to save on 15 minutes. Six minutes later the breakthrough came when Haysman had a shot blocked but Tom Collins pounced to drive fiercely home from the edge of the box.
Sam Page volleyed an effort straight at McNamara and then Harlow looked like they were about to equalise on the half hour mark, Tolfrey denying them by reacting quickly and at full stretch to keep out a close range header from Tommie Fagg.
A minute later instead of being level Harlow were two down. Sonko sold McNamara short with a back pass and Derry nipped in to tackle the goalkeeper and then tap into the empty net when he was first to his feet.
Tolfrey made another great save tipping a Jared Small effort over and again Ks reacted by almost immediately scoring. This time it was Toby Little getting his first goal for the club, curling a perfect left-footed free kick into the top corner. And when Lewis Taylor drove home a blocked Haysman shot just before the interval Ks were 4-0 up at half time for the first time since, well, no-one could remember the last time.
Ks were in no mood to let up though and added two more after the break. First Lewis Taylor headed across goal for Collins to deftly sidefoot a volley past McNamara and then Haysman deservedly got on the scoresheet when Harlow failed to clear a corner and he reacted first to blast home from around the penalty spot.
Ks might have scored even more but for some good work by McNamara who athletically tipped over efforts from Vilcu and Derry as well as keeping out an Alec Fiddes shot and, in a sign of the confidence beginning to run through the Ks side, a Page 20 yarder. The win will hopefully have filled the side with confidence - the challenge now is to build on it.
Match report by Simon Grier.
