Hawks hit back for vital win

It left Harlow in 19th place, four points above bottom club Redbridge, and it looked likely to become an even more painful day for them when they found themselves 2-0 down at Ware.

Had it finished that way Ware would have moved above them. But Hawks finally found a reason to be cheerful as they stormed back to win 3-2.

Louis Rose put Ware ahead in the 18th minute and Jon Stevenson converted a penalty early in the second half to leave the visitors deep in trouble, though they quickly reduced the arrears through Ben Hart.

Danny Brown squared it with a penalty midway through the second half and the final twist came three minutes from time when Ware conceded another spot-kick and Brown obliged again.

That takes Harlow six points clear of Ilford, who returned to the foot of the table because Redbridge came from behind to win 2-1 at Witham.

Rob Whitnell gave Witham a 22nd-minute lead but Jacob Cleaver replied nine minutes after the break and Ryan Reed netted the winner with 13 minutes to go.

Heybridge were the only team in the top eight to have a game and they made the most of it, reclaiming second place with a 3-1 home win over Waltham Abbey.

The league’s top scorer, Luke Callander, took his tally in Ryman North games to 22 with the 15th-minute opener and Russell Malton made it 2-0 early in the second half.

Louis Bristow wasted a chance to pull one back for the Abbotts when he fired against the bar and a Taylor Hastings free-kick wrapped up the points with ten minutes left. Dean Green’s late penalty provided the consolation goal.

Brentwood moved into the top half of the table with a 2-0 home win over Waltham Forest. Alex Read hit the underside of the Forest bar with a 20-yard strike in the first half but the opening goal, after 55 minutes, was a much messier affair credited to Daryl Robson.

Forest almost drew level when Jack Leachman hit a post and Manu Dagher fired the rebound wide, and the points were not safe until added time, when Read broke clear to score his 20th league goal of the season and 31st in all competitions.

Wroxham enjoyed themselves on a snow-covered pitch in Norfolk (goalmouth action pictured by Gavin Ellis/TGS Photo), smashing five unanswered goals past a Romford side who were nine points ahead of them at kick-off time.

Matt Blake put the Yachtsmen in front midway through the first half and Adam Eastaugh made it 2-0 deep into added time at the end of the first half.

Romford had a Jack Barry goal disallowed soon after the restart and Ross Durrant, Matt Daniels, with a penalty after a foul on Ben Thompson, and Blake completed the rout with a quarter of the game still to go.