Those who did their Christmas shopping instead of going to the Longmead Stadium on Saturday probably used their time more wisely. For this tepid encounter on a bumpy, sticky surface looked destined for a scoreless stalemate from early on, and that was indeed the way it finished. An attacking Borough formation failed to deliver, probably due to a lack of quality passing to provide the front quartet with any decent ammunition. The hosts were no better, indeed probably worse, and by the time they started their engines in the car park outside, most of the 410 spectators would have already wiped the 90 minutes they had witnessed from their memory banks.
Borough recalled Keita Karamoko between the sticks, while David Howell selected a positive line up, with Brain Haule and John Bacon paired together up-front supported by Fabio Valenti and Howard Newton coming from deeper, wider positions.
Valenti was off-target with a first minute effort after John Bacon flicked on a long throw. Then Haule’s clever chest control created a chance for an 18-yard shot saved by Turner in the home goal. But Borough didn’t keep this up, and the hosts then began to settle. First, Dean Marney had to make an important interception after Sodje got round Jesper Nielsen on the left. Then a Hogg free-kick led to a Lye header that clipped the crossbar. Bacon had a shot off target, but the half ended with Tonbridge on top, with Keita Karamoko saving from Cass, who then hit an angled shot across the goalmouth, while Searle’s cross flew across the six-yard box without a home forward on hand to touch it in.
Harrow had the better of the opening part of the second half. Howard Newton’s shot was blocked, and a Valenti effort flew wide. On the hour, Harrow went very close to scoring, when Marney rose at the far post to head a Clemente Lopez free-kick against the foot of the upright. However, it was a rare moment of excitement. Harrow were struggling to get their passing going and survived a scare when Sodje threw himself to the ground in the area in front of the ranks of home supporters. Referee Venamore waved play on, but didn’t take any action against the home forward who had already been booked.
The best Tonbridge effort of the afternoon was a 75th minute Farley shot that Karamoko dived to his left to turn round the post. Harrow ended the game with Steve Dogbe’s shot past the post from Haule’s cross, and a Wayne Walters shot from the edge of the box that Turner saved. But it was one of those days when, if they’d played on for another hour, neither team was likely to score.

Harrw Borough:
1 Keita Karamoko
2 Jesper Nielsen
3 Clemente Lopez
4 Wayne Walters
5 Perry Norman
6 Dean Marney
7 Howard Newton (Abdulai Yoki 49 min)
8 Steve Dogbe
9 Brian Haule
10 John Bacon
11 Fabio Valenti (Roy Jones 79 min)

12 Daniel McGonigle
14 Roy Jones
15 Clinton Lamb
16 Abdulai Yoki
17 Marcus Campbell

Tonbridge Angels:
1 Jamie Turner
2 John Beales
3 Craig Roser
4 Danny Lye
5 Nick Humphrey
6 John Farley
7 Gareth Street
8 Steve Searle
9 Steve Sodje
10 Brendan Cass (Luke Piscina 76)
11 Anthony Hogg

12 Luke Piscina
14 Kieron Wilson
15 Joe Fuller
16 Tom Fuller
17 Matt Hollyoak

REFEREE
L Venamore

by Simon Grigor at Longmead Stadium