Harrowby United tear up the form book with win

United Counties League

Premier Division

Harrowby United 3

Oadby Town 0

Harrowby United tore up the form book when entertaining Leicestershire outfit Oadby Town at the Environcom Stadium.

Three unanswered goals secured an extremely valuable three points in the Arrows’ fight for survival against a team who have been flying since the arrival of their manager Lee Harriman.

The first real chance of the game came after 10 minutes when a great run down the right flank from Sam Weatherstone ended with a whipped in cross that was headed just over the cross bar by Arrows man-of-the-match Lee Shaw.

The tireless Shaw only had three minutes to wait for his next opportunity which he took with some aplomb. Harrowby advanced down the right through Scott Webb who played a fine ball inside to Shaw on the right edge of the penalty area. The Arrows striker turned his marker and slotted a delightful right foot shot past a diving Elliot Taylor in the Oadby goal and into the far bottom corner of the net.

The rest of the half was evenly contested with neither keeper really threatened as both defences worked well in stifling any attacks. Tom Potts shot over the bar for Harrowby and Oadby centre back Justin Pearce made a superb block tackle to deny Shaw 10 minutes before the break.

Arrows keeper Jack Drury saved well on 52 two minutes, diving to his left to palm away a low drive.

Scott Webb doubled Harrowby’s lead from the penalty spot two minutes later after Shaw was brought down in the area by Pearce who received a yellow card for the offence. Webb coolly despatched the spot kick right footed, sending Taylor the wrong way.

On the hour mark, substitute Lewis Watson was denied a goal as his well-struck shot from the edge of the penalty area took a deflection before being excellently tipped over the bar by Taylor.

Harrowby added a third nine minutes from time when Shaw advanced down the left and was felled on the left edge of the penalty area, seemingly just inside. But referee Mr Gregory awarded the free kick just outside. Pearce received his second yellow and marching orders for the tackle before Webb curled the free kick low and hard through a crowd of players and into the net.

Harrowby saw out the remaining minutes to give new manager Nick Andersen and his assistant Alex Cross their first victory in their second game in charge.

Harrowby United: Drury (c), Weatherstone, Clarke, Hill, Whyley, Gilbert (Watson, 52), Potts, Currall (Daykin, 87), Harper, Webb (Cardosa, 90), Shaw.

Pictured from left are John Currall, Sam Hill, Oadby captain Mason Hirst, and Jack Whyley.