Harrow Borough 2

Boreham Wood 0

It had been seven weeks that Harrow had found themselves stuck on the 32-point mark. And with the relegation strugglers beginning to pick up points with alarming regularity, it had become essential that the six-match league losing streak was brought to an end, writes Simon Grigor.

Fortunately, a good team performance on Saturday did the trick, and enabled some space to be opened up again on the teams at the foot of the table.

Pat Gavin missed the game with a broken toe, while Darty Brown was ruled out with a groin strain. Davis Haule was serving the last game of a three match ban.

Dean Marney returned to the defence after injury, while Richard Goddard was over his flu and led the line. New signing from Ford United, Marvyn Watson, was introduced at right wing-back.

Harrow started well, and went ahead in the 9th minute. Visiting keeper Addai made a terrible mess of catching Adam Everitt's long throw, spilling the ball to Fabio Valenti, who was perfectly placed to fire in the loose ball.

It should have been two after 21 minutes. Mekel Hackett sent Goddard clear with a clever pass, but Addai made some amends for his earlier error with a good save. Hackett then got in Kevin McKenna's way as the Harrow skipper teed up a shot.

The visitors threatened little throughout the first half, Borough new man Watson showing his defensive qualities at one point with a good interception from a Jones cross. But on the stroke of half time, Keita Karamoko demonstrated excellent reflexes to turn a Forrester flick over the bar and preserve the interval lead.

Harrow opened the second half well. Brian Haule elected to pass rather than shoot early on, the chance disappearing with that decision. Goddard then headed an Everitt pass into the path of Hackett, who brought a good save from Addai.

Boreham Wood's Honeyball should have done better with a free header from a Jones corner, powering the ball directly at Karamoko, who saved comfortably. Harrow were soon on the attack again and Clemente Lopez and Haule combined to provide McKenna with the chance to drive the ball just wide of the upright.

Borough doubled their lead in the 72nd minute. Watson created the goal with a great break on the right. He found Haule, who drew the keeper before squaring the ball to Hackett who had the easy task of finding the empty net for his first goal for Borough and the spoils for the Earlsmead side.

Harrow crept through to the County Cup Semi-Finals on Tuesday evening with a 4-3 victory over Ashford Town , but they made very hard work of it against opponents in relegation trouble in Division One South who can consider themselves a little unfortunate not to have got something from the game.

January 31, 2003 13:00