Hartley Wintney recovered from a two goal half time deficit to claim all three points against the 10 men of the Metropolitan Police.

The visitors started the brighter and on 4 minutes Ezra Ikebuasi went on a surging run down the right and finished with a shot which went narrowly wide of the goal. With Hartley struggling to get a foothold in the game the Met went ahead on 17 minutes. Hesitancy between the Row midfield and defence allowed NOAH AMISSAH a clear run in on goal and he shot past Henry Poole in the Hartley goal. (0-1).

The Met extended the lead three minutes later when NOAH AMISSAH and Mason Galloway combined well leaving the former to convert from 15 yards. (0-2).

Hartley had their first effort on 22 minutes when Charlie Postance found George Wallace who saw his shot go wide. On the stroke of half time Ellis Orsborne on the right found Aderi Dede who saw his effort saved by Max Foulkes in the visitors goal.

0-2 down half time

The Row started the second half strongly and on 50 minutes pulled a goal back. A corner on the right from George Britton was cleared back to him.

He then crossed low and Aderi Dede was on hand to shoot into the corner of the net (1-2).

On 53 minutes a short back pass from Hartley saw keeper Henry Poole collide heavily with Sid Gbla of the Met. Both players stayed down and there was a long delay. Eventually Poole was carried off in a stretcher and Gbla slowly recovered. Row skipper Liam Gavin took over the goalkeeping duties.

The Met were reduced to 10 men on 64 minutes when Ikebuasi received a second yellow card and ordered from the field of play.

Hartley pounded the visitors defence in search of the equalizer. On 65 minutes Dede combined with Turnell Sinclair who shot wide. Two minutes later Wallace crossed and Postance shot over the bar. On 71 minutes a cross from Britton found Postance who set up Dede who fired over.

The visitors defence remained resilient and on 85 minutes a shot from Orsborne fell into the path of Sinclair who saw his effort go wide. In the final normal time minutes a cross from Dede found Postance who was unlucky to see his effort go just the wrong side of the post.

14 minutes of added time started with a rare effort from the Met.

Following a free kick Wilson Bernal saw his effort from 25 yards go just wide. 

The Row resumed the bombardment of the Met goal and after much pressure the equalizer arrived on the 10th minute of added time. Ellis Orsborne made good progress down the right and his cross was met by George Wallace coming in from the left and scored with a fierce drive(2-2). 

With much excitement Hartley piled on the pressure to get the winner which arrived in the final minute of added time. A cross from then right from Orsborne found Postance who headed down for Turnell Sinclair on his debut scoring from close range. (3-2).

The win moves Hartley up to fourth place and into the Play off zone.  

Assistant manager  Lee Trussler said: “It would be true to say we were not at our best today. Disappointing after a good performance against Ascot United on Tuesday.

“We gave the ball away cheaply in the first half and got punished for some substandard defending.  The Met won most of then physical challenges.

“Much better in the second half. We had to change the shape of the team by playing with three strikers. 

“The long pause in play did not help and the  Met going down to ten men came at a good time. They re-shaped and the  changes were obviously in our favour. 

“However enormous credit to the team who never gave up and kept going right to the end. They got their deserved rewards.

“Our best performances to date were of course against Ascot on Tuesday. Also at Leatherhead and against Kingstonian where I thought we were unlucky to lose. “