Harrowby United return home empty-handed
United Counties League
Premier Division
Newport Pagnell Town 3
Harrowby United 1
Harrowby United travelled to Buckinghamshire on Saturday for their first ever visit to Newport Pagnell Town’s Willen Road ground.
The Arrows returned empty-handed as the Swans’ top scorer Dom Lawless proved to be the difference, with a hat trick to take his total to 32 goals for the season.
In a cagey first 10 minutes, chances were at a premium with a Lawless shot blocked by Billy Stubbs the nearest to troubling the keepers. Pagnell’s direct style saw the home side gain ascendency with a constant long ball bombardment.
Against the run of play, however, a cross whipped in from the right found Stubbs whose powerful header hit the Pagnell cross bar and went behind for a goal kick.
Four minutes later, the Swans were awarded what looked like a soft free kick a couple of yards outside the Harrowby penalty area, and Lawless opened the scoring with a well-struck right foot shot that flew past Grant Davies in the Arrows goal.
Simon Bolland was the first of five Harrowby names to enter referee Mr Bright’s notebook after 35 minutes.
In stoppage time at the end of the first half, a long throw from Joe Clarke was flicked on by Stubbs for Liam Harper whose shot was blocked and the danger cleared.
The home side started the second period brightly and doubled their advantage just before the hour mark when a good run down the left by Josh Crawley saw him hold off the attentions of John Currall, before squaring the ball for Lawless to tap home from two yards out.
Yellow cards quickly followed for Clarke and Lee Shaw before Harrowby got themselves back into the game. A good move down the right ended with a a cross into the penalty area from Harper that was bundled into the net at the far post by substitute Lewis Watson.
Liam Harper joined the names in Mr Bright’s book a minute later.
On 73 minutes, a corner into the Harrowby penalty area was cleared only to be immediately played back in for Crawley to hit first time and see his effort cannon away off the cross bar.
The woodwork again came to Harrowby’s aid in the 81st minute as a free kick from the left edge of the penalty area by Darryl Smith struck the bar and went behind.
Harrowby had the chance to level two minutes later when a corner found its way to Sam Hill whose scrambled effort was cleared off the line.
Three minutes from time, Pagnell made the game safe when another break down the Swans’ right, this time by Lewis Smith, saw a fine pass find Lawless who calmly slotted home for his hat trick. There was just time for Harper to collect a second yellow card for a rash tackle and be sent off, and for Stubbs to add his name to the charge sheet with a yellow card of his own to end a miserable afternoon for the Arrows.
Harrowby United’s man of the match was Sam Hill.
Harrowby United: Davies, Currall, Clarke, Stubbs, Whyley (c), Harper, Hill, Bolland (Watson, 60), Weatherstone, Peberdy (Bradford, 52), Lee Shaw.
Picture goal scorer Lewis Watson.