Three quick-fire first half goals were enough for 10-man Lowestoft to overcome a lowly Harwich side as the home side welcomed a first league win in four matches.

Gary McGees double provided some breathing space before a freak Matt Stace own goal settled the match before half time, despite the returning Dale Cockrill being sent off after only 39 minutes for two petulant yellow cards, writes Luke Stockdale.

The unavailability of Matty Potter, Marcus Saunders, Darren Cockrill and Neil Plaskett meant that Town lined up with an inexperienced back four of Carl Poppy, Joe Pike, Ryan Bloomfield and Adam Boggis who all performed admirably for the entire 90 minutes.

The swirling wind didn’t allow either side to really get going, and although Harwichs Jimmy Chatters had a couple of early half-chances, it was the Blues that produced the first clear chance in the 13th minute when keeper Ed Wootten saved Russell Stocks header after the big striker rose to meet Poppy’s free kick.

Ross King and Bradley Hough both went close before Lowestoft took the lead on 29 minutes. A fine counter attack involving King, Cockrill and Hough saw the latter feed McGee, who made no mistake in firing low past Wootten for 1-0.

Andy Reynolds saved well from Scott Page soon after to preserve the Blues’ advantage after the striker had been played in by the tricky Chatters, before Hough hit the foot of the post for Lowestoft from close range after Poppy’s free kick had caused all sorts of confusion in the penalty box.

The game threatened to turn upside down when Cockrills careless tackle on Lee Barrett saw referee Matt Patterson produce a yellow card – the midfielder’s second due to dissent three minutes earlier – for his second dismissal of the season.

But despite the numerical disadvantage, Lowestoft added a second two minutes before the break when Kings inswinging corner was met by the head of McGee for his second. The home side then inadvertently wrapped the game up on the stroke of half time when Harwich defender Matt Stace inexplicably lobbed Wootten for a comical own goal.

The second half saw the hat-trick hunting McGee squander two decent chances before his header from substitute Craig Lewis deep cross was cleared off the line by the covering Martin Calver.

Harwich started to press, and deservedly pulled a goal back after 62 minutes when a long free kick came off a grounded Bloomfield, and the tireless Scott Page was on hand to finish low through Reynolds’s legs.

Reynolds then had to be at his best to deny Ollie Mann after Bloomfield failed to clear as the visitors began to get on top, before brilliant defending from Boggis inside the six-yard box saw him prevent Mann from converting Chatters low cross.

MoM: Adam Boggis.

Match Information

Score: Lowestoft Town - 3      Harwich & Parkeston - 1

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