KINGSTONIAN 0 HARROW BOROUGH 1

An unstoppable rocket shot from the edge of the box from ‘the man of 2018’, George Moore, gave Harrow an important three points from their trip to Leatherhead to face tenants Kingstonian,

and was a massive step in ensuring continued Premier Division football, be it Bostik or something else, next season.

Howard Hall, Kurtis Cumberbatch and Michael Bryan returned to the side in the three changes to the starting line-up from Tuesday’s embarrassment at Rayners Lane. There was an even opening to the encounter, played on a surprisingly firm, flat pitch (give stories that have emerged in recent weeks about the Fetcham Grove surface). Amoo shrugged off Moore to drive the ball against the top of the crossbar, before Charles Banya headed across goal following good wing-play by Chinua Cole. A Ks corner reached Francis at the far post and he was denied by a brave Adam Pepera block. Moore then made ground and crossed to Ryan Moss. His cushioned header found Bryan, who returned the ball to Moss who shot wide from 18 yards.

That wonderful goal came in the 17th minute. Chinua Cole and Moss combined on the left, and the ball came in to Bryan in the box. He worked it on to Moore, cutting in from the right flank, and he switched the ball on to his left foot and thrashed it into the top corner from 20 yards out, past Tolfrey’s flailing left arm.

Ten minutes later, Moss hassled Francis and won the ball off him. Just outside the area, Francis dragged the striker to the ground as he shaped to shoot. Denying a goalscroring opportunity, Francis saw red, with Moore’s free-kick blocked by the wall. Chinua Cole then crossed to beyond the far post, Moss meeting the delivery with an acrobatic drive that was brilliantly turned away by Tolfrey. At the other end, Minter saved from Amoo, Williams and Cundle in the run-up to the interval.

Harrow began the second half in lively manner. Bryan and Banya got the ball to Moss, whose low shot nearly crept under Tolfrey’s body, but the Ks’ keeper reached back to grab it. Lewis Cole then played a one-two with Cumberbatch, Gogonas making a good block of his effort. Lewis Cole then lost the ball in centre-field, allowing Cundle to get clear and cross to Williams who headed inches wide. That was a warning to a Harrow side who never seem quite to adapt positively when playing against ten men, and there was another when Phillips won a header, allowing a delivery into the box that Williams again headed wide, this time when it looked easier to score. Moss angled a shot past the near post from Cumberbatch’s delivery, and Cumberbatch then had a shot blocked with Chinua Cole skimming a follow-up effort narrowly wide. Moore cut in from the right to drive the ball over, while at the other end Pepera made a good block to stop Hunte. A falling Moss shot across goal, with Williams, stretching, putting another presentable chance wide in the Harrow box. Tolfrey made a brave save to block Moss’s shot with his face, and the game ended with Williams poking another half-chance wide from Beere’s delivery.

Harrow have two more away games in the coming week. First they go to Billericay on Wednesday night for what looked a few weeks ago like an extremely daunting task. But the wheels have, for now anyway, come off the Billericay march to the title and they have lost five of their last six games. Might it just be a night of glory in Essex? Then, next Saturday, Borough travel to Surrey again, this time to Merstham.

KINGSTONIAN: Rob Tolfrey, Manolis Gogonas, Chris Arthur, Freddy Yao, Mark Phillips, Sean Francis (sent off, 27 mins), Jerry Amoo (sub Tom Beere, 54 mins; booked, 82 mins), Michael West (sub Rob Bartley, 89 mins), Jason Williams, Greg Cundle, Connor Hunte (sub Toby Ajala, 69 mins). Unused sub: Jack Minchin.

HARROW BOROUGH: Melvin Minter, George Moore, Chinua Cole (booked, 81 mins), Howard Hall, Adam Pepera, Jonathan Bell, Kurtis Cumberbatch (booked, 71 mins), Lewis Cole, Ryan Moss (booked, 50 mins), Michael Bryan, Charles Banya (booked, 66 mins). Unused subs: Mark McLeod, Adam Richards, Tarun Dawkins.

Referee: Mr J Paterson

Att: 224

by Simon Grigor