‘Under the radar’ Harpenden starting to make lots of noise
Harpenden Town have been quietly moving up the table this year. Picture: KARYN HADDON - Credit: Archant
Danny Plumb has been delighted that Harpenden Town’s fine start to life in Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division has gone almost unnoticed – but he might have to change his thinking following their 1-0 win over London Colney on Tuesday.
Dwayne Duncan’s seventh of the season moved them third in the table, five points behind leaders Biggleswade FC.
And even at this early stage of the season, it is something that shows Harpenden should be a force for the year ahead.
But Plumb is just happy that Town’s first shot at this level for 10 years is going positively.
“We’ve kept our heads down and gone under the radar,” said the manager. “We’re trying not to look at the league table but we’ve proved we can compete in this league.
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“We’ll look to keep it going, just one game at a time.
“The good sign is we haven’t played particularly well and we’ve nicked a 1-0 win.
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“They’re a decent side so I’m really pleased.”
It hasn’t always been easy this year with injuries affecting the side.
And another one reared its ugly head as former St Albans City man David Keenleyside came off on 50 minutes.
Plumb said: “He was struggling at half-time so we gave him five minutes in the second half as he is so influential.
“But we’ve got the FA Vase on Saturday and we need to get him fit for that.”
Duncan is another that has had his share of knocks already.
The Harps boss added: “Whether he would have started I don’t know but he was running late from work, which is a problem for our boys and every club in midweek.
“But to be able to bring him on for Keenleyside shows the strength we have in the squad.
“We switched it around in the second half. We put James Ewington out wide and Kyle McLeish and it seemed to work as the second-half was much better.”
A cup run was one of the other hopes at the start of the season and Town will be looking to continue their FA Vase charge at Hillingdon Borough on Saturday.
“We’ll obviously go into it as favourites, playing a side from a lower division, but they’ll be up for it,” said the boss.
“So we need to show the right attitude, play in the right areas and do the right things, the same as in every game.”
