Harlow Town 2 Needham Market 1

Needham Market were dislodged from top spot in the Ryman North One by title rivals Harlow this afternoon.

Home striker Alex Read fired Harlow into the lead after just two minutes, but the Suffolk visitors recovered from a sluggish start and took control early in the second period.

They got their reward when Danny Cunningham squeezed home the equaliser from a narrow angle in the 53rd minute.

But Harlow regained the lead, against the run of play, when substitute Shane Stamp, who had only been on the pitch for three minutes, met Jared Small’s teasing cross with a superb diving header at the far post.

The Marketmen rarely threatened a second equaliser, and so Harlow, who are unbeaten this season, have leapfrogged them into top spot.

NEEDHAM: Phillips, Ingram, Coakley, Morphew, Hogg, Nunn, Heath (sub Crisp, 68), Izzet, Newson (sub Mills, 87), Westlake, Cunningham (sub Brown, 74).

Attendance: 418

For full match report and reaction, see Monday’s ‘East Anglian Daily Times’ and ‘Ipswich Star’ newspapers.