Harlow Town manager Danny Chapman will be hopeful that his team can continue their fine form moving into a hectic festive fixture list.
Having completed more than half of the season’s fixtures, the Hawks find themselves 6 points ahead of closest rivals Hackney Wick with a vastly superior goal difference.
The team have recorded 10 home and 9 away wins so far this season, drawing 1 at home and losing just 3 times. The team’s impressive goalscoring record of 63 goals is joint top in the league with AS London and the team has the tightest defence, conceding just 19 goals.
It is this form that has propelled the team to the top of the table and made them the bookmakers’ favourite for the Eastern Counties League Division One South title this year.
Harlow fans have had plenty of success when backing their team this season. The team’s good form has seen odds drop, making it worthwhile to compare the best UK licensed operator odds as well as those on new bookmakers not on Gamstop.
One major reason that bookmakers have shortened the odds on Harlow fixtures in recent weeks is that they are on a fine run of form which started with a 0-3 win away to other high scorers AS London.
The 0-4 win away at Newbury Forest marked their 10th win in a row. The team has scored 35 goals in these ten games, conceding just 10. 8 of the games came in the league with a 5-2 victory against Stanway Pegasus and a 2-1 win over Dunmow Town helping them progress in the cup.
This form has seen them build on their third-place finish and League Cup victory of last season, and everyone attached to the club is brimming with confidence that they can enjoy success again this year.
While the team have continued to play as an impressive unit this season, individual performances have also helped them excel. Fred Agyemang has proved to be a great signing, joining in September from Barkingside where he scored 24 in 30 games last season.
The powerful forward has so far netted 12 times in 17 games this season and has also chipped in with two assists. He is joined up front by Jack Zielinski who has 10 goals and 6 assists in his 25 appearances this year.
Another new face that has had an immediate impact is Denzel Effah, with the impressive wing back topping the assists chart with 12 as well as sitting in third place in terms of goalscoring with 9 goals in 26 games.
Tom Jelliman and Arley Barker are currently tied in second place for assists with 7 each, Fan favourite Jelliman has contributed from the centre of midfield while the right-sided midfielder has made his contributions while also making the most appearances for the club this season with 30.
Goalkeeper James Pellin has been a fixture in goal this season for the Hawks, enjoying 13 clean sheets in his 29 appearances so far.
Defender James Folkes and midfielder Syrus Gordon currently top the charts for red cards with 2 each, not a record either would hope to have at this point of the season.
Jesse Ansen and Cabham Clarke both have 5 yellow cards and 1 red card each, and discipline will be key to the team’s success, something that the management team will have to drill into some of the players.
With 15 games of the season to go and Hackney Wick desperately clawing back at Harlow’s lead, the squad’s strength and depth will be tested significantly.
Promotion to the Northern Premier League would be a massive boost to the team who had to withdraw from the Southern Football League in 2022 due to issues with an artificial pitch surface that left them unable to complete their fixtures.
Danny Chapman’s decision to return to the club in 2020 has helped to provide stability following brief campaigns from Mark Holloway and Dave Collis. The squad he has created have proven over the first half of the season what they are capable of, and fans will be keen to see things continue in this vein for the foreseeable future.
