Chairman Adam Mullin to lead managerless Harleston Town in the dugout for ‘biggest game’ in historic FA Vase tie at Tring Athletic
Harleston Town will not have a new manager as they head into the ‘biggest game’ in the club’s history tomorrow with chairman Alan Mullin set to remain in the dugout for ‘as long as it takes’ to get ‘the right man’ secured.
The Magpies head to Hertfordshire today to face Tring Athletic (3pm) in the second round proper of the Isuzu FA Vase for the first time in their history – with it only being the second time they have qualified to compete in it.
But after declaring it ‘the biggest game we've ever been involved in’ Mullin has decided not to rush through a managerial appointment, having seen Danny Crow decide to move on nearly two weeks ago now after more than 100 games at the helm since August 2022.
Off the back of his first game in interim charge, alongside Dwayne Smith with coaching input from player Joe Manning, ending in a 5-3 home win against Brantham Athletic he said: “You wait for the right person. I'm sure things will become clearer in the next two or three weeks of where we're going to be.
“But for the foreseeable future, Joe and Dwayne will take charge of the coaching with the first team, and along with myself, we're the current management team.
“Joe is a great player, and Dwayne's been involved with the club for the last three years now.”
He said discussions have opened up with a few interested applicants.
“We're speaking to a few people, but we haven't got anything concrete in that sense,” he said.
“It's hugely important that it's the right person for the club, like Danny and Tom (Marsden, assistant) were.
“I mean, to be fair, Danny's helping us still with that process as well.
“So I suppose it's given us a bit of leeway because he's not actively involved, but he's on the other end of the phone, which is brilliant.”
He added: “It's a massive decision as to who’s going to run the football club because as a club, I think we've only had probably three or four managers in the last 14 years.
“We don't change managers every five minutes, and when we do bring somebody in that has to be the right person.
“A lot of the time it's been someone who's been involved with the club in some way, shape or form in the past.
“So at the moment, it's just me, I'm afraid. I've done it several times before, but it's not ideal.”
‘I couldn’t care less about the opposition’
He admits to knowing very little about their opponents tomorrow, who lie sixth in the Spartan South Midlands Football League Premier Division and won their latest fixture 4-0 at Harpenden Town last Saturday.
But neither is he bothered about doing the research, as he explained: “In my world, I mean this with the utmost respect, I couldn't care less about the opposition.
“I just care about my lads and if my lads do their job and they play to their potential, I think anyone will struggle against us. But we have to do that for 90 minutes, not 20 minutes or 15 minutes, for 90 minutes, and we'll see.”
He added of the significance of the tie: “From where we've come from, it's a huge achievement for the club.
“We just want to do ourselves justice.
“We don't feel we shouldn't be there, but at the same time, now you've got there, you need to perform.
“You need to do your absolute best to come out on top. That's exactly what we'll be doing.”
Meanwhile, veteran forward Nathan Stone will be suspended for the fixture at Tring – the Express understands – after receiving his marching orders in their Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division match against Brantham a week ago.
Magpies score twice with 10 men to win eight-goal thriller
Harleston Town chairman Adam Mullin was given a baptism of fire as his interim management spell, following the departure of Danny Crow, got under way with an eight-goal thriller against Brantham Athletic on Saturday.
The Magpies led 2-1 going into half-time at the Recreation Ground but their home fans were to witness five more goals. And three of them went in their side’s favour, who were made to play out the game with 10 men following Nathan Stone losing his head inside the final 10 minutes after an incident where he claimed he had been bitten went unseen by the officials.
Following the eventful 5-3 victory, which saw Spencer Cawcutt open the game’s goalscoring and his Magpies account, before adding another in the second half, Mullin said: “It was a really good game, actually. Our support was fantastic on the day.
“We went 2-0 up (Rob Turner adding to Cawcutt opener) and then for some reason, which is beyond anything I can comprehend, we found ourselves 3-2 down.
“But, to be fair, they dug deep and pulled themselves out of the hole they created and it was a fair result.
“I think even the most ardent supporter of Brantham would say, yes, that was a fair result.
“We battered them, really. But, you know, that’s football. Momentum is everything in life, not just football, and they got the momentum and started to press that in.
“We had the fight to wrestle the momentum back and get ourselves at the other end and create chances. And then it became more difficult with 10 men but we managed to score twice with 10 men so that was very pleasing for the lads.”
After Cawcutt’s second had got the scoreline back to 3-3, and they were reduced to 10 men, substitute Panashe Mundawarara got the hosts back in front before Harrison Hide completed a breathless second half with his side’s fifth goal.
Mullin said he had been trying to substitute Stone, known as ‘Gangles’ after he began reacting to an apparent missed bite, but it was too late as he was shown a second yellow card for something he then said to the referee.
“I don't think the lads or the referee saw it, which is not their fault,” said Mullin, who is waiting to hear if he loses him for their big Isuzu FA Vase tie at Tring Athletic tomorrow (3pm).
“He'd obviously completely lost the plot and so did everyone at that point.
“The two of them got booked. But Gangles, being Gangles, just would not leave it alone.
“As he was being substituted he made another comment to the referee. He showed him a red card, a second yellow for dissent, so I couldn't make the substitution either.
“He was not popular in my world.”
Harleston’s first win in three Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division matches left them 16th in the table and two points above the relegation zone.
Walsham and Thetford prepare for Vase action
Elsewhere, Walsham-le-Willows are fifth following a 3-2 away win at Mulbarton Wanderers. Reon Huckvale provided the winner with five minutes to go to complete a comeback victory ahead of their attention also turning to the FA Vase tomorrow, with Potton United the visitors (3pm).
In the Thurlow Nunn League First Division North, it was also an eventful afternoon for Diss Town as they drew 4-4 away to fellow top four side Stanway Pegasus which included a hat-trick for Liam Jackson with Alfie Sandon also on target.
The Tangerines host basement side Swaffham Town this afternoon (3pm) sitting in fourth spot.
Fellow promotion chasers Framlingham Town are down to sixth after a 2-0 defeat away to FC Peterborough came after posting back-to-back wins.
Liam Abraham’s side will look to bounce back at home to 10th-placed Holbeach United today (3pm).
Thetford Town (3rd) won 3-2 at home to Downham Town and are at Clapton in the Vase today (3pm) while Stowmarket Town (17th), who host Mulbarton tomorrow (3pm) surrendered a lead to draw 2-2 at Long Melford.
Lakenheath remain in the bottom three after playing out a 0-0 draw at Kirkley & Pakefield last weekend.
Steve Holder’s side, who are without a win from their last three outings in all competitions, will head to 10th-placed Woodbridge Town today (3pm).
And that is followed on Tuesday evening by a home encounter against Downham Town, who are currently just below the play-off places in sixth position (7.45pm).
Hall end their wait for a win
Mildenhall Town halted their three-game run without a Pitching In Isthmian League North Division victory last Saturday thanks to a 2-1 home win over Redbridge.
Charlie Stimson’s 23rd-minute goal put the visitors in front heading into the break, but the home side responded in the second half with goals from substitutes Jake Chambers-Shaw and Ben Nolan.
Mildenhall, who have moved up to 15th place in the table with a four-point gap having opened up to the relegation zone, will have home advantage again today, when they take on seventh-placed Brightlingsea Regent (3pm).
