GCE Hire Fleet United Counties Football League
Reserve Division
Saturday 10th January 2026
Harborough Town Under 21’s (3) – (0) Irchester United Reserves
Report – Josh Unsworth
Photo – Phil Passingham
Harborough Town Under 21’s continued their impressive run of form with a confident 3–0 home victory over an in-form Irchester United Reserves side who arrived at the Beehive boasting eight consecutive league wins.
The Young Bees wasted little time in asserting themselves, moving the ball sharply in midfield and setting the tempo from the opening exchanges.
The breakthrough came early and was crafted with real quality.
Sixteen-year-old Leighton McWilliams showed maturity beyond his years, weaving confidently through a series of challenges in the centre of the pitch before slipping a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Lovell Edwards. The in-form forward made no mistake, calmly slotting the ball past the goalkeeper’s left-hand side to give Harborough a deserved early lead.
Harborough continued to probe for a second goal throughout the remainder of the first half, enjoying the majority of possession and pinning Irchester back for long spells. Despite creating several promising openings and applying sustained pressure around the penalty area, the Bees were unable to extend their advantage before the interval, with the visitors defending resolutely to keep the scoreline at 1–0.
Photo Credit – Phil Passingham
The hosts wasted no time after the restart. A half-time change saw Connor Bernhardt introduced, and the substitute made an immediate impact. Just one minute into the second half, Bernhardt rose well to meet an Archie O’Donnell corner, guiding a glancing header into the net to double Harborough’s lead.
Momentum remained firmly with the Bees, and the third goal soon followed. Edwards turned provider this time, delivering a wicked cross into the danger area which was met by Saad Hamrad, who powered a header home to effectively seal the three points.
Harborough saw out the remainder of the contest with composure, controlling the game both in and out of possession to secure another clean sheet and a valuable victory.
After the game, Head Coach Josh Unsworth said:
“Irchester were very stubborn today, but credit to my boys — they had to find answers on the pitch and we did. We’re on a good run of form and it’s our job to keep that going.”