| It’s
still a few weeks to the pantomime
season. But rehearsals were
in full flow in the Harrow defence
at the start and finish of the
second half at Earlsmead on
Saturday, when two bits of comical
misunderstanding gave the Ducks
the points in an important basement
battle.
Missing
the injured Richard Goddard
and the suspended Stuart Elliott
and Ross Fitzsimon, Borough
boss Edwin Stein brought back
Dean Marney into central defence
and Simon Underwood into a wide
midfield role.
Harrow had a very early chance
when Fabio Valenti was put through
the middle in the second minute,
but keeper Davis tipped his
effort round the post. At the
other end, Hunter shot wide
and Keita Karamoko saved from
Bangura’s 20-yarder.
Borough were closest to a goal
after 12 minutes when David
Ocquaye shielded the ball from
a defender and turned 15 yards
out. His shot beat Davies but
hit the inside of the post and
spun across the goalmouth, going
off for a goal-kick on the opposite
side. Saves followed at each
end, Karamoko foiling Hunter
after a surging run, and Davies
denying Valenti’s clever
near-post effort. Steve Dogbe
and Danny Moore were then off-target,
and Valenti’s low shot
was saved by Davies with his
legs.
Harrow reached half-time in
the ascendant but there was
a warning of what was to come
later when Marney and Karamoko
got into a communications tangle
and collided, leaving other
defenders to clear the ball.
The second half was only two
minutes old when Karamoko and
Perry Norman left a through
ball to each other. Ducks skipper
Williams did not need to be
asked twice and took the ball
aware from the hapless pair
to slot home the opener.
Ocquaye shot fiercely across
the goal, but Stein then made
a double substitution of Abdulai
Yoki and Robert Charles for
Moore and Ocquaye, and it was
a singular failure. Without
Ocquaye to hold the ball up,
Harrow found defensive clearances
coming quickly back at them
and the visitors began to get
the upper hand. Bubb fired wide
and Campion drove over the bar.
Charles had two efforts saved
by Davies but Harrow gave no
indication that an equaliser
was particularly likely. Three
minutes into stoppage time,
the Aylesbury lead was doubled
when Karamoko’s clearance
hit Marney and rebounded to
Bangura who had an empty net
to aim at.
For Harrow, the second-half
display was a return to the
woeful form of early September.
They need to get this out of
their system quickly, with another
game against fellow strugglers
coming up on Tuesday, in the
form of a local derby trip to
Northwood.
Finally on this game, a word
of praise for the referee, Mr
Ron James. After the eccentricities
seen on recent trips to Thurrock
and the Isle of Wight, how refreshing
it was to see an official who
treated the players like adults
and looked as if he did not
want to be the centre of attention.
|
