Harlow Town..................5

Diss Town......................0

(FA Cup First Qualifying Round)

The Hawks stepped on to the long road to Wembley with a five-goal second half demolition of Eastern Counties side Diss Town.

Diss, who won the FA Carlsberg Vase five years ago, stood between Harlow and a place in the second qualifying round of the most famous football competition in the world.

In a pulsating first half, the Hawks had the majority of the possession but the visitors were rarely troubled as they looked to hit Harlow on the counter attack.

The best chances of the first period fell to Wayne Cort, who was twice denied by magnificent saves from Diss keeper Mark Phillips. At the other end, pacy striker Ollie Christie caused a scare for the home side when he struck the woodwork in the 38th minute.

The Hawks almost fell behind in the first minute of the second half when Marvin Samuels mis-directed a header in his own area which forced keeper Turpin to dive full stretch to save his blushes.

From Turpin's clearance Andy Theodosiou had an effort only half cleared by the Diss defence and the ever alert Cort clinically finished to put the Hawks in the lead.

For the next 20 minutes, the home side had to endure large spells of pressure from Diss as they searched in vain for an equaliser.

But in the 67th minute, Tony Kelly hooked in a shot to give the Hawks some much needed breathing space.

Five minutes later, Eddie McCluskey's men ended the tie as a contest when Cort sprinted down the left and provided an inch perfect pass for Marc Salmon to slide home at the far post.

The Hawks then added two more in the last two minutes of the game. First, Neil Moore outpaced a weary defence to add a fourth and then Wade Falana and Salmon combined to provide Phil Leggatt with a chance which the young midfielder tucked away with some style.

The scoreline was somewhat flattering for Harlow, but a clinical display of finishing will stir memories of Town's famous FA Cup win against Leicester City. in the Eighties.

Harlow: Turpin, Samuels, Nicholson, Moore, Parkyn, Theodosiou (sub: Crabb, 76min), Walker, Kelly (sub: Wilkinson, 84), Cort (sub: Falana, 78), Leggatt, Salmon.

Harlow have been drawn away to Wivenhoe Town in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup on October 3.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.