A brave Harrow fight-back came to nought on Monday evening when a home goal eleven minutes from time denied David Howell's men a vital point

Missing injured midfielders Kevin McKenna, Clemente Lopez and Steve Dogbe, Harrow nevertheless started brightly and Abdulai Yoki put a 7th minute cross-shot onto the roof of the net. But the hosts went in front after 9 minutes, with a free kick which will have frustrated the Harrow camp, Marvell's 20-yarder beating Keita Karamoko.

Another dangerous home free-kick, by Bolt, was charged down, and the diminutive Olusesi rose above Dean Marney to head past the post, as the home side threatened to double their lead. At the other end, a push on Robert Charles in the penalty area was not deemed worthy of punishment by referee Bottomer. Harrow threatened a little more late in the half and York had to make a fine header to clear a dangerous Fabio Valenti cross.

Boateng's dipping shot was saved by Karamoko early in the second half, before the same player doubled the lead after 60 minutes with a brilliant individual goal. From the left hand by-line, Boateng worked himself clear of two Harrow defenders and hit a vicious angled shot across Karamoko into the far corner.

With the team in second place in the league now holding a two-goal lead over the team second from bottom, it looked pretty bleak for Harrow, but the spirit was still there and a series of corners ended with Richard Goddard's towering header from Ross Fitzsimon's corner reducing the deficit after 67 minutes. Carshalton started to look jittery and Fitzsimon was close with a free-kick that went just past the post. In the 76th minute, Charles picked up the ball on the right, cutback onto his left foot and hit a deep cross which Fitzsimon, stealing in unmarked at the far post, was able to volley in for the equaliser.

Alas, hopes of a fine point, or even of going on to win the game, did not last long. A 79th minute free-kick was swung into the Harrow goalmouth, and York evaded his marker to head home from close range.

  1 - Stuart Searle
  2 - John Hamsher
  3 - Peter Wood
   (sub Colin Hartburn 88)
  4 - Romauld Bouadji
  5 - Mark Hawthorne
  6 - Dale Marvell
  7 - Des Boateng
  8 - Matt York
  9 - Ali Russell
10 - Kunle Olusesi
   (sub Conrad Kane 60)
11 - Danny Bolt
   (sub Mark McGibbon 80)

  1 - Keita Karamoko
  2 - Daniel Church
  3 - Richard Weale
  4 - Wayne Walters
  5 - Richard Goddard (c)
  6 - Dean Marney
  7 - Ross Fitzsimon
  8 - Abdulai Yoki
  9 - Simon Underwood
10 - Robert Charles
   (sub Leon Green 80)
11 - Fabio Valenti
   (sub Danny Moore 45)

Yellow Cards: Daniel Church (26)