Well as always with Harrow there is always a combination of good and not so good and to be fair what was good was very, very good and what wasn't can and must be worked on. Harrow had four players unavailable from the side that had played so well to beat Staines in their last outing. Club captain Dave West had been called into work in the morning of the match whilst Proctor who had family commitments and Sherman and Whitcome weren't available for selection. With changes to a quarter of the side Harrow must have feared going to the home of one of their closest rivals. To have won the game in those circumstances and with a try bonus point was an outstanding achievement and says much about the heart and character of the side, its skipper and coaching team. Perhaps you can't really ask for more but Harrow will know they will have to find as least that if we are to overcome the challenge of 2nd placed Harpenden who come to Grove Field on this Saturday in a absolutely crucial top of the table clash for both sides

In a classic game of two halves Harrow went into the break 31-5 up having scored four outstanding tries . Game over. It was just a question of how many we were going to score and how wide the margin of victory. That it didn't work out that way was huge credit to the home side who played some lovely rugby in scoring three tries to win the second half 17-0. Their try bonus point was well deserved and they must be kicking themselves that they allowed us to get so far ahead by the break. If they hadn't, the game if not a losing bonus point could have been theirs. Harrow will know that a combination of a loss of concentration, thinking that the game was already won, and a lack of fitness in too many of the side let a dangerous team back into a match that they should have been well out of. Some of this team need to look at themselves and ask whether contributing for only sixty minutes in a match is enough. If they have ambitions this season basic fitness is the minimum required.

On a beautiful bright December day, on a pitch in good condition despite the heavy frost overnight, the home team had the better of the early exchanges and were looking dangerous with ball in hand as they tested Harrow's defence. At 12 mins one such move was brilliantly intercepted by Ryan Owens, who had another strong game, on the H&F 10 metre line and he had enough speed and strength to run in under the posts. Converted by Witney 0-7. At 15 mins now on the Harrow 10 metre line close to the left hand touch line Witney facing a three on one tried the same, knocking on in the process. The referee, who had a fine match overall, harshly I think ruled it a deliberate knock on and the full back was on his way to the bin. The home team made use of the one man advantage to secure good field position on the Harrow 5 metre line. At 17mis a fine catch and drive and they were over in the left hand corner. Conversion missed 5-7. At 24 mins still down to 14 Harrow were driving inside the H&F 22. An offence by the home team at the breakdown to the left of their posts and with Witney still in the bin, Conroy stepped up to strike a lovely penalty 5-10. Two minutes later Harrow were further ahead, a quite superb try created by the midfield on the halfway line. Initiated by Owens, the skipper made good ground before a lovely inside pass released Conroy and the scrum half who had a bright and busy game had far too much pace for the defence and he was over under the posts. Converted by Witney 5-17.Harrow were now completely on top, At 34 mins Harrow drove towards the H&F line. Conroy picked up from the base of the ruck, a quick dash stretched the defence and another beautiful inside pass to the skipper running a fantastic ;line and Chris West was in under the posts. Again converted by Witney. 5-24. Four mins later it was the turn of the skipper to pass inside to a rampant Harrison who ran in unopposed under the posts for the try bonus point, Converted by Witney 5-31 which remained the score into the break.

Harrow started the second half brightly laying siege to the to line of the home side but where they had been so clinical in the first half now they were sloppy, losing the ball in contact and failing to secure their own line out ball on the H&F 5 metre line. At 53 mins it looked all over for the home side when as Harrow attacked again, their scrum half, was sent to the bin for a high tackle on Bailey. Perhaps overconfident. Harrow now fell completely off the pace conceding at 56 mins a fine length of the field try finished off in the left hand corner. Conversion missed 10-31. At 65 mins and again at 75 mins H&F scored two more tries the second converted to take the score to 22-31. Harrow finally raised themselves and closed out the match with no further problems.

A massive result for the Grove Field side and credit to all involved. At this level you can never take your opponents for granted and hopefully a valuable lesson has been learnt.

With Harpenden securing a try bonus point win against Hampstead and Chiswick winning at OMTs Harrow are 6 and 8 points ahead of their closest chasers and a further 11 points ahead of H&F

Massive game next week at home to Harpenden. The ko is likely to be 3pm as we will look to use our lights again

Lions meanwhile their lost their merit table match in a row 12-31 at home to OMTs 2nds

Andrew Smart