Dereham Town's seven-match unbeaten run came to an abrupt end at Harlow.

With 17 minutes on the clock, Harlow punished Dereham for wasting some early chances as Alex Read put the hosts ahead, after Matt Howard sold goalkeeper Andy Wilton extremely short with a suicidal back header. Just seven minutes later and it was 2-0 to Danny Chapman's men, Read winning a free-kick out wide which allowed David Crowley to set up Fabion Simms who headed home with his free header.

Read continued to impress and ultimately proved too hot to handle as he grabbed his second midway through the first half when he dispatched a long ball by Joshua Urquhart to finish off a quick Town counter attack.

Four minutes before half-time and slack Dereham defending allowed Read to drop his shoulder in the box before unleashing a thunderous strike into the top right corner to complete his hat-trick, putting his side 4-0 up at the break.

Dereham came out improved second half, and with 61 minutes on the clock Ryan Hawkins finished off a long ball from Frazer Blake-Tracy, to give the visitors hope of a fightback. Two minutes later and Hawkins brought down in the penalty area, and Luke Tuttle converted to put Dereham back in the game. However, victory for Harlow was soon beyond any doubt when James Smith slotted home before Crowley brought up Harlow's sixth. Dereham heads never dropped however and they managed to score a brilliant third goal to restore some pride. After a couple of back-heeled passes by Hawkins and Tuttle in the Harlow area Tuttle was on hand to finish.

Dereham: Wilton, Hawkins, Blake-Tracy, Hockley, Howard, Kay, Roberts (Tuttle 56), Clunan, Hilliard (Bussens 75), Bailey (Ward 56), Mason.

Referee: Mr. T. Ratherham.

Attendance: 227