Harlow returned to winning ways at Basildon following Boxing Days frustrating goalless draw vs Nw London in vehement style versus a team that on paper was expected to provide Harlow the tougher test of their two holiday fixtures.

It certainly seemed to be the case in the early stages when the teams spared with each other waiting for the game to settle down, but led by Dan Heald’s determination and a disciplined offside line marshalled by Fabian simms and James Foulkes taking the sting out of Basildon’s attacks, Harlow’s superiority began to be reflected in their territorial pressure in Basildon’s final third. However in a carbon copy of Boxing Day’s fixture the second ball wasn’t falling Harlow’s way and a few goalmouth scrambles were the extent of their threat.

This changed on the Half-Hour mark when Tom Jellimans pinpoint free-kick cross from the left side was craftily glanced beyond the Basildon Keeper’s reaches by the head of Gavin Cockman to the excitement of the Harlow travelling fans.

The scrappy first half on an unforgiving pitch came to an end without any further incidents of note. Basildon started the second half the better of the two sides and James Pellin had to ensure his concentration was solid in the Harlow goal on a couple of goals occasions, but with Syrus Gordon’s reading of the game shielding the back line, Harlow were able to reestablish their ascendency with Denzel Effah and Tyrell Egbri providing necessary width to begin to assert Harlow’s supreme fitness by stretching the pitch. In the fifty-seventh minute, it was the latter Egbri who provided the inspiration for Cockman to double his tally for day and Harlow’s lead as his cross from the right was met with aplomb to power his header into the back of the Basildon net.

This second goal seemed to knock the stuffing out of Basildon and Harlow began playing with a verve associated with a team unbeaten for over 2 and a half months and fifteen minutes from time after great tenacity from Korade DaSilva on the right to win back possession he had the presence of mind to provide a back post cross which was met in style by Fabian Simms, only eclipsed by his even more impressive knee-slide celebration as the Harlow massive were sent into raptures with this sealing third goal to put the game beyond Basildon.

A quorum of substitutions followed and just a minute later, Fred Agyemang fresh from the bench battled on the right side to provide another back post cross and this time it was Jordan Burnett who tapped home with his very first touch.

The cherry on top of the icing for Harlow’s performance was provided when the industrious Jack Zilenski was able to work with Harlow’s midfield to send Agyemang clear to muscle the defender away and barrage the ball past the hapless Basildon keeper to end his mini drought and complete Harlow’s raft of second half goals.

A fitting end to a successful calendar year for Harlow that saw them lift the League Challenge Cup back in May and extended their lead at the top of the table to ten points as the Hawks continue to build the foundations of reestablishing the club’s Non-League status and reputation