After their relegation from the Premier Division at the end of the previous season, United started their life in Division 1 by crashing to an opening day home defeat with a lame performance at Buckingham Road. Harlow went ahead in the 33rd minute when Ducks defenders Peter Clifford and Garry Wotton collided going for the same ball, allowing the unmarked Martin Young to ghost in and square for Marc Salmon to tap in.

Just 5 minutes later it was 2-0 when a mistake by Allan Pluckrose let in Salmon who ran through and fired past a helpless James Courtnage from the edge of the box. The Ducks pulled one back in the 80th minute when Darren Grieves headed in Phil Mason?s corner but the visitors wrapped up the points in the 80th minute when Richard Wilcox broke clear and crossed for Gordon Guille to crash home a superb volley.