Earlsmead Tuesday, September 30th, 2014 k/o 19:45   Isthmian Premier Division Attendance: 151         Harrow Borough 1-2 Bognor Regis Town
2014 /15

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1 2 Tue 30th Sep, 19:45 Ryman Premier. Harrow Borough 1 - 2 Bognor Regis Town Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on email 0 HARROW BOROUGH 1 BOGNOR REGIS TOWN 2 by Harrow Borough A fifth Tuesday evening league game in September, and a fifth defeat. But this was not a horror-show as seen against Wingate or Hornchurch. A fifth Tuesday evening league game in September, and a fifth defeat. But this was not a horror-show as seen against Wingate or Hornchurch, but a game in which Harrow played some good football, as did their Sussex coast opponents, and where what proved to be the winning goal had a shade of controversy in its inception. There was just the one change to the side that had cruised through the FA Cup tie at VCD on Saturday, Howard Hall returning at left back with Daniel May switching to the right. Alas, like a week ago, any momentum built up by Harrow from winning their Saturday game was dissipated by the concession of an immediate goal, this time in the 3rd minute, Pearce played onside by Hall not stepping up in line with his colleagues, and turning to lash a fierce 20-yarder across Charlie Horlock. Marc Charles-Smith’s near post effort from May’s cross was saved by Winterton, but Borough were lucky not to go two-down when scorer Pearce hit another cracker which beat Horlock but cannoned off the post. Lewis Driver’s strong run up the left set up Steve Butterworth to cut inside and hit a shot that was destined for the top corner until Winterton leapt acrobatically to turn it away. Butterworth then beat Crane and sent over a far post cross that Charles-Smith, stretching, headed over. An unmarked Thomson drove over for the Rocks after a free-kick came off the Harrow wall, Ben Long shot over for Harrow, and May’s ball over the top of the Bognor defence found a breaking Butterworth who was denied by Winterton coming sharply off his line. Harrow got the equaliser their play merited after 27 minutes. Hall ran on to Butterworth’s feed and got to the left-hand by-line, crossing to the near post where Charles-Smith spun and hit a low shot. Winterton took some of the pace off the shot but couldn’t stop it heading towards goal, and Driver applied the finishing touch. While Driver’s recovery from injury has been hugely welcome, this his fifth goal in four starts, the struggle of Anthony Maissiat to pull through his injuries is a big worry to the Earlsmead faithful. It had appeared that things were improving, as the elegant French stopper has finished the last two games, but here he had to retire after 29 minutes, Jake Gilbert coming on to join Francis Otira at centre-back. Long’s 22-yard pile-driver just cleared the bar as Harrow sought a second, and Long and Ryan Hope set up May for a shot just over from the edge of the box. Playing the lovely passing game they have maintained for years, the Rocks continued to threaten, however, and Horlock had to dive full-length to push away Pearce’s curling cross. Referee Connolly was unmoved when Gilbert was shoved when he challenged for a Long cross, although it seemed the sort of challenge that would have resulted in a foul anywhere else on the pitch. Winterton continued to be kept busy by the Harrow attack, who were also passing the ball to effect, pushing away a dangerous Michael Bryan cross at the near post, saving Long’s overhead effort, and palming a Hope shot from the edge of the box to safety. But at the other end the Borough offside trap failed a second time, and Horlock had to make a fine save to deny Pearce. The second period began with Hall motoring forward to set up Driver, whose shot was saved at the near post. The in-form striker then cut in from the right and hit a left foot shot that was deflected wide of the near post. Hall’s header was saved from Bryan’s centre, and Butterworth shot over. But Bognor continued to pose a sizeable threat, May going full length to prevent a Pearce cross from picking out a colleague, before a scramble in the home box was ended by Gilbert thumping the ball clear. The key passage of play came in the 67th minute, and began with Harrow breaking into the visiting half. Butterworth was offside but held his arms up in the air while trying to get onside, his colleagues ignoring him while he did so. He played no part in the attack but alas the linesman didn’t see it that way, flagging for play to stop. Harrow have lost a couple of goals this season (notably at East Thurrock) while arguing, or failing to organise, after a decision they didn’t like, and this was to be another. Bognor took the free-kick quickly, broke up the right with the left side of the Harrow defence in disarray, and when the cross came over Parsons, who’d only been on the field for five minutes, got between May and Otira to head home. Harrow were lucky not to concede again, the left side of the defence again in trouble, this time Pearce flashing a header across goal. But they were hugely unlucky not to level when Long hit a sweet 25-yard strike that beat Winterton, hit the inside of the post and spun across the goal and out for a goal-kick on the other side. Charles-Smith then had a shot blocked, the ball falling to Butterworth who couldn’t keep the ball down from the edge of the box. Winterton pushed away Butterworth’s late shot and Otira headed wide as Harrow tried, but failed, to get a leveller. Anyone who’d only seen Harrow in the last two games would think that they are playing well enough to have realistic expectations of climbing the league shortly. But that would be to dismiss the way they’d played earlier in the month which has got them into their current position. They must continue to play the way they played here, and last Saturday, beginning this Saturday with a crucial trip to a Peacehaven & Telscombe side that sit only a short distance above them in the table. HARROW BOROUGH: Charlie Horlock, Daniel May, Howard Hall, Ben Long (booked, 60 mins), Francis Otira (booked, 19 mins), Anthony Maissiat (sub Jake Gilbert, 29 mins), Michael Bryan, Ryan Hope, Marc Charles-Smith, Lewis Driver, Steve Butterworth (booked, 90 mins). Unused subs: Ramil Sheriff, Spencer Bellotti, Michael Barima, Ryan Debattista. BOGNOR REGIS TOWN: Chris Winterton, James Crane, Harry Medway, Doug Tuck, Dan Sackman, Craig Robson, Harvey Whyte, Jake Thomson, Ollie Pearce (booked, 69 mins: sub George Branford, 85 mins), Ashley Robinson (sub Alex Parsons, 62 mins), Ben Johnson. Unused subs: Curtis Da Costa, Josh Warren, Charlie Oatway. Referee: Mr J Connolly Att: 151 by Simon Grigor